Pirates and Survivors
by The What-If Writer
Summary: Two groups of animals sailing the seas. One is a band of pirates,the other a group of survivors. When their paths cross under unlikely circumstances, adventure, chaos and danger ensues. Gutt's Past arises to mind as the events unfold. Surrounding the Pirates and some original characters.
1. Chapter 1

**EDIT: Writing at first may be a bit plain, but it picks up later since this was written a while ago.**

_I get the feeling this could have been written better in the first few chapters._

_The writing does pick up a little later on, but I feel its too late to add in too much more detail._

_All well, please review!_

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CHAPTER 1: A CREW OF SURVIVORS.

The sun was high in the sky, sending beams of light down on the ocean below. The shifting ice beneath glittered in it's gaze, floating gently along the waves. It was quiet and the air around the minuter glaciers was damp and salty; The water was very slow and the current moving in a careful, delicate manner.

A large iceberg in the shape of a ship passed silently through the waters. A tree stood tall and drying the center but still bearing fruit on it's branches. It was as if it had been torn right from the shora and whisked out to sea.

Then again, that was almost exactly what had befallen the iceberg.

Near the bulkier end of the ship, that is the back, was a small ice cave were old, crumpled leaves served as a place of comfort to a hurt individual.

The male elk was scarred all over, a lot like the other people of the ship- including a healer rabbit, who was sitting next to him, an armadillo who was currently leaning against the tree nearby, a bat hanging lethargically from the branches above him. Finaly, a glypptodon ( a round, shell covered creature with a round head) was wandering along the edge of the makeshift boat.

The rabbit doe was smearing some mashed up herbs, that she had mixed together in a small wooden bowl, on the Elk's wounds. The elk in question was doing his best not to flinch. Sighing, she glanced over the silent ship, meeting the eyes of the armadillo nearby.

He was a stubborn, anti-social fellow with a frown always present. His arms were folded and his eyes were narrowed moodily. He frowned at her, before grunting and looking away.

She hadn't really caught his name over the past few days- it seemed he'd rather not socialize with the rest of them- but she thought it may have been something like 'Argeth.'

The ship was awkwardly silent. Apart from her and the elk, not much conversation went on other than trying to decide what to do.

They'd escaped from a continental earthquake; their homes destroyed and whatever family or friends they may have had lost. Most of their home on the land had sunk deep into the deep or ended up as a pile of rube.

They were lucky.

Clementine- the female rabbit- had found an iceberg that The elk called a ship and had rushed aboard while she still could, taking her leaf constructed pack filled with herbs with her.

The Elk had tied to get as many people on the boat as possible, but no one else but they five had made it.

The elk, a neurotic yet firm buck, was called Kurues. He'd appointed himself- or stood up to- the position as leader of the group. He made sure they all got enough rations from their tree- the only thing keeping them from starvation.

Some water had been collected in some hollow rocks and stored inside the small ice shelters at the end of the ship. He made sure that was rationed out as well until they found land.

Clementine was also one of the main things keeping them alive. They had all suffered serious wounds from the destruction back at home- but it turned out the doe had picked up healing techniques from some odd creatures called humans.

She used things like needles to sow cuts together and herbs to bring out poison and help the healing of the wounds. She'd told them a human had saved her once when her leg had been broken and scarred- and had spent many nights watching them use familiar plants to heal her.

The wounds they'd suffered needed to be treated again and again throughout the process of healing, and they would've been dead otherwise.

Being a good-hearted yet timid person in general (though very quick-tempered) Clementine was glad to contribute- but the constant work was beginning to take its tole. She was tired and loosing hope of ever finding land- something they were all beginning to worry about.

But she remained optimistic There had to be land somewhere, right? at least, that's what Kurues said to cheer the group up whenever their spirits were lower than usual.

Though she'd gained the trust of the crew somewhat, being their carer, there was still an aloofness between them all.

They weren't friends- well, maybe she and were, they weren't family- they were strangers.

But they were also survivors.

"There you go, Kurues. All done." She stepped back and allowed the elk to stand and duck his way out of the cave, stretching.

"Good show, Clementine. I don't know what we wouldn't done without it."

Clementine shrugged it off with a smile as a voice behind them muttered.

"Died quicker and less painfully than starvation? pfft."

Clementine growled at the armadillo, striding over with her paws clenched, adjusting the sling of her pack as she went,

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but-"

"But what, skinny?" The armadillo stood up threateningly, and imminently the rabbit backed up, ears down timidly "We all know it- you're just stalling our death. We're doomed, face it."

"_That's _being optimistic." A sarcastic voice above remarked. Clem looked up at the fruit bat, Maut, who was glaring down at the armadillo.

"Y'all should lighten up a bit more. Rabbit, quit bein' so darn timid, Armadillo, stop being a stiff-a-willow and shut it, and shell guy..."

Glett, the glypptodon, looked over. The bat was silent before finishing. "You're good. Don' worry."

Clementine had to agree the Glett was no problem at all- he was quite helpful when they first set off, helping her and the others (sans Argeth) brush rocks and other things off their ship. But he didn't speak much- in fact he hadn't said anything apart from his name.

Though he was polite, which was more than she could say for Argeth.

"You are all idiots." Argeth muttered, going back to leaning against the tree. Clementine raised her ears up again, straightening her light-brown pelt.

"Jerk."

She turned away and wander off quickly to the other side of the ship before he could answer. She wouldn't be able to take him on in a fight if it happened...unless she was really mad.

Groaning at her stupid timid behavior, she resting her hand on the ice on the end of the ship, looking up at the sky.

Then, she stopped something.

A gull- flying high above.

"Hey- hey guys!" the other four looked over, even Argeth, as she pointed upwards, "Look!"

"A gull!" Kurues exclaimed "Gulls means land..."

"Land means_ life_!" Maut finished above him gleefully. "We're saved, y'all!"

* * *

High above, Silass grinned as he saw the familiar spark of hope cross the features of the crew members. He'd been watching them for a while now- noting useful skills like the Elk's horns and that rabbit's odd skill in healing- as for the others, not so much.

Still smiling deceitfully, he turned back, ignoring the calls of the stranded crew. They all did that, asking for help, thinking the'd found it...it was very amusing.

Flying through the foggy clouds he approached a bigger, far more modified and inhabited ice ship; At least five times the size of the other ship ahead. The group of animals sailor it were scruffy due to the sea water splashing them constantly, and all were armed and dangerous.

They were the kind of animals you made sure to stay away from.

The ship itself was hidden behind other large icebergs that were distributed around the area, giving them a very convenient element of surprise.

Silass landed on a branch extending from the mast, where a dark-furred primate sat waiting.

"A ship with a good, fruit bounty, Captain." He said menacingly "Two useful creatures- and elk and a rabbit who heals their wounds. All of them have scars- but not too bad now. Their ship's stranded up ahead."

The Gigantopithecus ape grinned, showing a jaw full of large, menacing yellow teeth.

"Really? stranded? what a terrible misfortune..."

He broke off in a gruff, malicious laugh,. "I _love_ terrible misfortunes..."

Swinging down with incredible ease, Captain Gutt addressed the ruffian crew below sharply, and they all jumped as his voice bellowed out.

"Man your stations, boys! we got visitors coming up!"

As they cackled he examined his claws as if remorseful interested "Imagine- being stranded in the middle of nowhere with pirates-"

_"ARRG!"_

"-All over the place? don't you think we should...I dunno, lend a hand?"

The crew laughed in response the the joke, exchanging nasty looks as they thought of the unfortunate animals of the ship ahead.

They wouldn't know what hit them.

"Yo ho ho and a bottle of _aye-aye,_ Captain!" A scruffy grey rabbit replied, whipping around madly, twirling a dagger in his paw. "We'll slice an' dice 'em!"

Abruptly he was shoved curtly to the side by a female saber, her white fur adorned with black stripes. Shira stood proud and tall, glaring at the rabbit before yelling:

"Cut it out, Squint. You heard the Captians orders! get to your stations!"

"AARR!"

The pirates shouted this in unison, growling madly as they thrusted their fish-bone weapons into the into the air so they glistened in the sun.

Squint glared at the tiger as he zipped to his post faster than a lightning bolt. Stupid saber. He's show her when they took this ship. He'd slice anyone who got in his way so they were as thin as her dumb teeth.

The demented rabbit laughed to himself, once again twirling the blade in his hand.

_This is gonna fun._

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A little side story for the pirates.

PLEASE REVIEW.

I'll post chapters later when I have the time- updates will proabaly be slower now. Sorry.


	2. Chapter 2

_Please review!_

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CHAPTER 2: A ENCOUNTER BEYOND NORMALITY.

Clementine watched with a raised brow and slightly open jaw as Argeth dragged a long plank of wood towards the middle of the ship, balancing it like a seesaw on top of a slab of ice. They'd never really questioned the armadillo before- probably because there was nothing to question. But now...

Everyone stared at him, none having any idea what he was up to.

Mauta raised a brow from her position upside down. Finally, she broke the silence.

"Uh.._What_ are ya doin?" she enquired, asking for the sake of the crew's sanity.

"Aside from being the only mammal with a brain?" He remarked snidely, not to the crew's surprise "I'm making a catapult."

Clementine bit her lip as she saw him rolling a round ice boulder that was almost the same size as him along the boat and onto the flat side of the plank. "Do you all really think whoever is there are going to help us?"

"Well..." Clementine shrugged "Why wouldn't they?"

She had to admit it wasn't the best answer, but when Argeth began laughing in a cold, condescending way, she narrowed her eyes angrily.

"Honestly! you really are a bunch of wimps! Well, I for one, think they're_ pirates_."

There was a long, awkward and bewildered pause as the other animals exchanged bemused glances, clearing not following what he was saying. The armadillo rolled his eyebrows in response to this.

"What are pirates, armadillo?" The bat asked from above, and judging by the way she said it, she obviously didn't believe they existed. Argeth rolled his eyes (yet again. They were beginning to resemble little pebbles rolling down a hill) and was looking beyond irritated now.

"Pfft. They're animals that go out to sea- willingly to steal from and _kill..." _the armadillo put more emphases on the word as he heaved the block of ice onto the catapult. "..Other animals."

Clementine didn't like the sound of that. Not. At. All. She began fiddling with her ears fretfully at the idea of an attack; They weren't what you would call the most formidable, skilled fighting troop in the world.

Glett had wandered over beside them. She turned to him and he gave her a curious look, frowned at Argeth and rolled his eyes in a way that suggested disbelief and amusement.

"My thoughts exactly." Kurues said with a smile.

"Well then." He turned, folding his arms. "Say they are, we need a plan. You, elk!" He pointed at Kurues with dislike "You have to be a Captain and somehow convince them you're not a sap. And if they attack, we fight back."

Hegrunted as he heaved the wood along. Then he paused, looking around at them with a scowl. "Are you going to help me or what?!"

Kurues seemed to consider it very carefully. Then, finally, the elk said:

"I guess it wouldn't be hurt to have some defense...just encase. Alright then, Argeth. You're first mate now." Clementine's jaw dropped as Argeth flung his arms into the air in some form of an exasperated 'thank you.'

"Are you serious, Kurues?" She asked in disbelief. The elk glanced at her uneasily.

"Well, if we're going to be the crew I need a first mate- and he _did_ come up with the defense."

Clementine shook her head as she watched the elk begin helping the armadillo with the second catapult.

Oh, well. Better safe than sorry.

_CRACK._

The loud sound reverberated through the chilly, still air and evoked a series of gaps. They all jumped around, eyes wide to find a skull attached to a wine clam its jaws on the side of the ship.

Then, as the dumbfounded crew watched in bemusement, two more skulls flew out from behind one of the large, drifting icebergs. that blocked their view.

"What..the...heck...is _THAT?_" the bat above them exclaimed in a loud, bemused and above all alarmed tone of voice. Clementine stood back, arms raised slightly from her sides as the giant iceberg drew near, the rest of the crew shrinking back in similar unease save for the armadillo, who was sending a deep glare its way.

* * *

The pirates laughed heartily as they reeled their bewildered catch in- they could hear their confused shouts now. The small ice boat slammed against the side of the pirate ship, almost making the group down below lose their balance. Clearly they hadn't been seafaring for long, as they fur remained fluffy and did not bear the sea-battered look of the pirates.

The pirates lined themselves up along the side to view their prize, each armed with sharpened weapons, malicious smirks and ill intentions.

"Oh look, they're all soft-looking!" Flynn the elephant seal exclaimed loudly, earning him a few rolled eyes and exasperated loos from the rest of the crew members.

Raz, the kangaroo, hopped beside him, looking over the side as well with enthusiastic eagerness for the event to come, grinning as her eyes flickered over the unnerved animals below.

"I get the horns off that hoofed one!" She alerted the others dangerously. Squint and Gupta leaned over the edge. The hyperactive whipped his blade around quickly, surveying the group down below.

A dear-thing, some armadillo, a shell-thing, a smudge in the shape of a bat, and another rabbit. Squint was slightly surprised; He hadn't seen another rabbit in a while. He tilted his head, raising a brow as she glanced around before raising her head.

She caught his eyes and her brown pupils widened slightly in a very nervous way; in fact, she was shivering where she stood and twiddling her paws together. Clearly she wasn't having a good time.

Suddenly the scruffy rabbit felt Gupta nudge his shoulder and click his teeth at the side, wiggling his eyebrows. It took him a few seconds to get what he meant and shove him away with a snarl.

Down below, Clementine moved back towards Kurues as a very angry, defensive looking Argeth muttered:

"I told you..."

"Ahoy there, maties!" A voice called from high above higher than they could see. It echoed through the still, damp sea air and caught their attention. The animals stepped back a little, eyes widening slightly as the voice continued in an oily and rather smug tone of voice:

"You know, this place is crawling with pirates- and you know all about pirates...they're not very nice. Right, lads?"

"ARG!"

"These morons are definitely pirates." Argeth muttered, leaning over to a shivering Clementine to add this information in. The survivors around him were clearly worried about their situation, and the tension was building with every breath they took. Despite the friendly way the unknown animal had been talking, all of the survivors could hear the ominous tone underneath the coating.

Suddenly a large, stocky figure landed on the side of the ship above, before straightening up and leaning against the edge with a superior ominous air. A giant ape, one of the strongest creatures known to animal kingdom at the time (something that didn't help the survivor's unease at all) with yellow, uneven teeth behind a large smirk, sporting oddlt shaped head fur and a threatening glint in his eyes. He spoke agaion in his oily, patronizing way as he held out a hand towards them,

"Captian Gutt, at your service!"

"First Mate Argeth, not-at-your-service!" the armadillo replied sharply, brandishing a threatening paw up at the very large ape. Clementine almost had a heart attack and pulled him back, squeaking,

_"_What are you _doing?"_

"Look!" Kureus called up to him, obviously not looking to get on their bad side. "We're just looking for land!"

The ape clearly wasn't impressed, pretending to examine a handful of intimidating claws as he asked:

"And you are?"

"The Captian of this ship!"

"Really?" Gutt burst out laughing, and his crew followed suit. The elk slammed a hoof down angrily at this reaction, but went on boldly, trying to keep the tremor out his voice.

"We just need to get somewhere that's safe, so-"

"There is no place that is safe!" Gutt cut in, straightening up threateningly. He grinned menacingly down at them, adding, "At least not around us."

The group below exchanged worried, nervous glances before the ape shouted in a vicious, commanding voice:

_"Battle stations!"_

His grew acted instantly, and suddenly large logs tipped over the side of the boat. The group below thought they were going to be crushed by them, only to find that they remained tethered to the side of the ship.

Above, Raz was kicking ice boulders through the openings of the logs with her large legs, as Squint jumped up onto the side again, pulling out a pair of daggers.

He decided he was going to pick on the most timid-looking one of the crew.

"Let's see what kinda moves you got, girlie!" He through a knife right beside her foot, and she almost jumped right out of her skin. Cackling madly the buck threw another dagger, this time in front of her. She darted away, yelling.

He cackled, watching her dodge another ice bolder as she ran. Ha! What a riot!

Clementine ducked a flying bolder as it hit the surface of the ice boat, jostling it once again and causing her to stumble to the side, hands held above her head to shield any other blocks that may follow.

"Fire those catapults, First Mate!" Kurues shouted over the crashing. The armadillo rolled over in a ball- something Clem found hilarious despite the situation- and he and Glett jumped down hard on the other side of the catapult. Glett had leaped off the small ice cave to achieve this move.

The ice bolder flew into the air towards the attacking ship, spinning in the air as it went. Gutt's eyes widened slightly at the resistance they were putting up.

Clementine watched in amazement as it hit the side of the pirate ship, jolting it back. The crew seemed immensely surprised that they were fighting back, for they yelled up above in shock and fury.

She grinned.

"It's working!" She then spotted the wines, still keeping them attached to the other ship. "Uh, oh!"

If those stayed there, linking the ships together, nothing would keep the pirates away.

She had an idea.

"You guys fire the other one, I'll get the vines!" She ran back to where that other, squint-eyes rabbit had thrown the daggers at her. She pulled one out of the ice and scurried towards the vines, cutting one as she reached it.

Gutt spotted her from above. Grinning at the burst of competition, he pointed at his first mate and the rabbit beside her.

"Shira, Mister Squint! pay our little friend a visit, won't you?"

"Aye, Aye, Captain!"

Shira let out a fierce roar, leaping down from the ship onto the enemy vessel. Squint swung down using a vine, and just as the doe was about to cut the second vine he zipped in front of her.

"Boo!"

"Aah!"

Clementine skidded to a halt. Having absolutely no fighting skills was a no-go in this situation. But, just as she turned around, he was in front of her again.

Glaring now, she turned again, but he repeated the move, this time brandishing a dagger right at her face.

"Too slow!" He laughed in a way that made Clementine question his sanity. That, and her tolerance to annoyance.

"Oh for-"

Suddenly something jumped up behind her. Looking over her shoulder Clementine was terrified to find a saber-tooth snarling down at her.

She acted without thinking. Taking the weapon she'd been using to cut the vines, she slashed the tiger across the cheek and ran to the side.

Shira recoiled in surprise just as Squint darted forward, catching the other rabbit by the ears and pulling her back, placing he dagger beside her throat.

"Too slow again, squeaker!"

Clementine raised her hands and dropped her weapon in surrender. No use getting killed now, she thought quickly as the rabbit holding her cackled in menacing fashion- But, she spotted a familiar armadillo nearby.

"A-Argeth!"

She looked over and his eyes widened. Flipping into ball-stance, he rolled straight towards a very confused Squint and relieved Clementine, snapping out of his ball-like shape and punching the other rabbit in the nose.

"Ow! I'm gonna-"

"Waggle your little bunny nose at me? Yeah right!" Argeth retorted as he pulled Clementine away and across the boat. The rabbit sat up, nose twitching hyperactivity and ears standing up as straight as a tree. His whole form shook with fury and he pointed his weapon after them, yelling.

"Wait till I get my hands on you, buddy! I'll skin you alive!"

Abruptly more weight was added to one side of the boat. Clementine soon saw with terror and disbelief that a kangaroo and very chubby seal had landed on their boat.

They crew were surrounded in the middle of the boat by the rabbit, tiger, kangaroo and seal before they could blink.

Cackling, the pirate crew threw vines over the elk, pulling him to the ground and tying him down. The seal jumped between him and the armadillo, who had been coming to his aid.

Glett was taken down by the kangaroo after the elk was tied down, throwing a makeshift net over him as he turned to flee.

Maut had been dropping small pieces of ice on them when Silass swooped in and pinned her, cursing, on the ground.

"Gerroff me, ya big-nosed feather-head!"

Clementine was about to rush over when an angry voice said behind her.

"Thanks for the scratch, shorty." She spun around and found a bleeding tiger growling behind her. Before she could run the saber lashed out in fury for the humiliating blow dealt to her face, and Clementine was thrown against the ice cave nearby.

She her head collided against the solid ice, and she collapsed on her side. She blinked as her vision became blurry and her hearing clouded over.

The last thing she heard was Kurues calling her name and that weird, hyperactive rabbit zipping closer and looking down at her, blade glinting in the sun and grinning.

* * *

UPDATES WILL BE SLOWER THAN USUAL.

I have stuff I need to do, but don't worry, I will continue this.

I think I'm going to change a few aspects of the story. But Argeth, Clementine and the others will remain. I've decided to scrap the idea with the runaways. There wasn't enough thought put into it as the one with the survivors, and the story will be better without them.

PLEASE REVIEW.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3: CREWS AND NETS

"...Clem? oy, skinny, come on already!"

The voice, though barley audible and blunted by Clementine's half-conscious state, was familiar. A voice that was, for once, not snide of sarcastic.

It occurred to her then her paws were bound to her sides and she was in a sitting position, with her very sore head bent. Then, he realised what had happened- they'd been captured by a bunch of insane pirates with an insane bunny.

Clementine kept her eyes shut but still surveyed her surroundings- who knows, maybe should could pick something up while they should she was out.

She could hear what sounded like music; the pulling of strings, the tapping of feet. There was laughter coating this cheery yet almost mocking music.

"Ha!Who's laughing now, armadillo?" There was the unmistakable slicing sound of something sharp through wood. For a second Clementine's heart almost stopped, but she began breathing again when she heard Argreth retort.

"No me. That wasn't even funny. That was just sad."

"Oh ha ha, Man, I forgot how to laugh." She recognised that voice as the aforementioned crazy rabbit. Swell...

Clementine decided it was time to leave her sarcastic train of thought and return back to the land of the concious- properly.

She opened her eyes, recoiling a little when the bright sun shone right into them. Using a long ear to block out the incessant shine she glanced about.

She- or rather, they were bound to the mast of the pirate ship they'd been fighting earlier. Kureus was still out old, bound in a sitting position like her against the mast. Looking over at another tree trunk embedded in the ice was a very un-amused armadillo who the demented rabbit buck was currently throwing daggers at (thankfully just by his face) trying to get a reaction out of him.

The ship itself was filled with supplies, more than she'd seen in a while. There was a sudden stab of hunger pain in her stomach, but she did her to ignore it. Now wasn't the time.

"Hey, pal." Clementine glanced up and spotted Glett and Maut, bound in a net and hanging down from a thick branch fixed to the mast. "Took you long enough!"

Glett made no comment, but grunted in a greeting manner. Clementine, still slightly dazed, lowered her head with a wide eyed-look.

As she did, a certain hyperactive individual noticed her awakening. Squint grinned and whipped over almost as fast as the daggers he'd been throwing.

Sneaking up beside her, he flung a scruffy arm around her shoulder and yelled:

"Boo!"

The other rabbit almost jumped clean out of her skin again. "Would you quit that already!?" She asked in a voice that was somewhere between a squeak and a shout. He just laughed rather madly, evoking an uncomfortable look from the doe.

"Aheh, yeah that's funny, now please go away..." He glared at her sourly, looking beyond insulted.

"You tellin' me to beat it?"

"Well if you want to be technical..." The doe rose a brow and looked upwards as if thinking. "Yes." She ended this statement by shaking his arm off. He scowled at her.

The other crew members, especially Gupta and Raz, began cackling meanly.

"Dude, you really don't know how to talk to girls!" the badger laughed loudly, clutching his stomach.

"Hey, shut your mouth, ya flag!" The buck threatened, brandishing his dagger towards said flag-flyer "Or I'll rip ya to shreds!"

"Dude, calm down it was a_ joke_."

Clementine noticed an accent she wasn't familiar with on the badger. The buck turned back to her, flipped out three more daggers with a grin and threw them straight at her.

"Whoa- alright if you don't cut that out I'll-"

"You'll what?" the other rabbit asked, squint eye squinting even more questioningly "Your stuck to a log!"

"You have the brains of a log!" A certain armadillo called. Clementine didn't expect Argeth to stand up for her, but in this situation she was more than please.

The rabbit scowled at him warningly and stormed off. "Ah, I'm bored now. I'm gunna do something fun."

Clementine breathed out a sigh of relief at seeing him go, watching as he stole some fruit from the chubby seal from before. She almost felt sorry for him when he began flopping around looking for them.

High above, Captain Gutt waited impatiently for the so-called 'other Captain' to awake so the fun could begin. After surveying the characters down below, he'd decided the crew would use the armadillo, that rabbit with the herbs and the elk himself. Sharp horns were useful after all...and for the others.

He grinned. He guessed the grew could use a little entertainment. They hadn't made any unfortunate souls walk the plank in a while.

As he thought this he saw the armadillo arguing sarcastically with Silass, on what subject he couldn't care less.

Gutt was about to turn away when he noticed something.

That armadillo looked kind of familiar. Too familiar. Gutt scowled, all humor of his earlier thoughts gone. He didn't like familiar. Maybe keeping him around wasn't a good idea at all. Walking the plank, however was beginning to take the cake.

And the last thing he needed was some wise-guy back-talking him all the time...

Clementine watched with impatient relief as Kurues finaly came to, shaking his long head from side to side dizzily.

"Ow...what hit me?" He asked dizzily. Clementine frowned, raising both a brow and ear. Wait for it...

"A club, dimwit."

And there came Argeth's insult. Good to know some people where at ease enough to carry on as normal.

"I don' wanna bother you bantering dummies, but this is gettin' real uncomfortable!" Mauta called from above, her statement followed by Glett's agreeing grunt.

The elk sussed out what had happened immediately. "Oh, great..."

"What now, Captian?" Clementine asked in a hushed whisper. The Elk thought hard.

"Hang on. Maybe we can trick our way out..." A light seemed to come on behidn his eyes.

"What to do you mean?" Clementine asked, bewildered.

"I've got a plan- just play along, okay? we'll tell the others when we have the chance."

"Right."

Suddenly the Ape from before landed just before them, grinning with a hint of triumph.

"And he sleeping beauties are awake. How are you this fine morning?" He asked with a trace of sarcasm in his voice.

"Quit the pleasantries. What do you want?" The ape shrugged, smiling turning into a smirk.

"Sharp business guy, huh? alright, I'll cut to the chase. You see..."

The ape threw a long arm out, gesturing to both his crew at the wide sea "To survive out here you need the best sorta weapons, crew and ship you can find."

He climbed up onto a tree branch, lounging lazily.

"You can join our crew- a one-in-a-lifetime offer, right boys?"

"AARR!"

Clementine resisted the urge to roll her eyes as the crew replied with the same shout.

"The ones who are useful get to stay." Gutt explained as if he were adding two and two together "The ones who don't walk the plank. Understandable enough for you?"

"Incredibly." Argeth retorted from the side under his breath. Luckily he wasn't heard.

"You earn your keep, you stay alive. If you don't..." Gutt jumped down from the tree and in front of Kureus in a flash, claws inches away from his eyes.

"Then you die. Got it?" The ape asked threateningly. Clementine could see Kurues was doing his best not to show fear, but it leaked through in his wide eyes.

Despite this he answered, though what he said made all of them surprised.

"Fine. We'll join your crew..." He trailed off as Gutt raised a brow, lowering his claws looking yet again unimpressed. "IF you let all of us stay on the ship."

There was a pause. Then, Gutt burst out laughing again.

"That's funny. You're a funny guy." The humour vanished from his grin and he glared at him dangerously. "But I'm the captain around- here and what I say _goes_."

He jumped up and swung onto a branch, barking "Shira!"

"Aye, Captain?" The saber tooth asked as she stepped into view, the scratch that Clementine inflicted on her cheek still red and noticeable.

"Have the prisoners thrown into the net with the others." He flicked a hand in indifference, once again lounging on the tree branch as he addressed the prisoners in question.

"You can figure out who to toss off. Two of you go, the rest of you stay. Let's see if that gets through your leader's pin head."

The crew laughed gruffly once he'd finished his sentence and began throwing each prisoner into the net.

Squint whipped over and in one swift movement cut Clementine from the mast. She attempted to dart around him, but he pulled her by the arm over to the net.

"Get off!" She commanded, slapping him hard across the face. He reeled back, clutching his cheek as Gupta heaved with laughter.

"Ouch- you- I'll-" Shira shoved him out-of-the-way in annoyance, something Clementine was very thankful for.

You know, just a second before she was lifted up by the ears and thrown into the net by the kangaroo.

They were strung up high in the net, squashed together at the end of the ship, partially hanging over the side.

As pirates began to clear off to leave them there, Squint zipped over and looked up a Clementine. She almost groaned in response.

"I bet your thinkin' you won that time when you girl-slapped me!" he said with a lopsided scowl. Clementine had to be truthful.

"Actually I was thinking that being tin this net was going to be really uncomfortable..."

And she was right.

"Squint! leave the prisoners to their thoughts." Shira called over. The buck rolled his eyes and turned around in to comply.

"See ya toots." he said as he left.

They were trapped, suspended, left with the decision of who would go and who would stay.

In other words, they were in a very tight spot.

* * *

I'm so tired.

Here's the next chapter


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4: FAMILIAR SCARS AND PIRATE BANTERS.

Night had fallen over the sea like a shadow over hope.

The animals trapped inside the net were sore and stiff- their still-healing wounds rubbing against the vines painfully. Clementine had realised earlier that her pack full of herbs was missing. This could cause problems if the wounds took to infection again.

The rabbit hoped not. Infections were a tiring chore- first you had to wash out any poison/ puss which was nauseating, clean the wound with salt water (which proved very painful therefore the injured one she was taking care of would squirm, making her life harder) and then finally bandaging up the wound.

They were silent for at least thriy minutes, each trying to figure out what to do. No-one wanted to suggest anyone getting thrown overboard into the unforgiving ocean, but still kept in mind that if two didn't go, they all would.

A certain sarcastic armadillo was oddly silent. Argeth frowned, a deep crease in his brow. He didn't know why, but the dramatic, slightly psychotic ape Captain, on whose ship they were currently being held captive, looked oddly like someone he'd once knew.

The memory was vague along with the name. Then again, Gutt couldn't be the ony ape in the world. But...how many apes had weird head-fur like that?

The armadillo decided to store this information for later as the other survivors began muttering quietly. They had tried to form a plan for hours now.

"What if we trick them somehow?" The elk asked after a while. "That had been my first plan."

"And what was your first plan?" Argeth inquired in a mutter. "Please enlighten us, fearless leader."

"Can it, armadillo. What is it, Captain?" Maut the bat asked from beside Clementine.

"Well...if we played along with their plans, pretend to resist but fail in the end, the next time we come near land we could knock off half of the ship and sail to it. A bit of a long shot- but we could plan in advance, undercover when they're not looking."

"Hm. Not too bad, Captian." Argeth sneered "But when I said these pirates were morons I didn't mean they were _that_ much stupid. They'd see what we were doing from a mile away."

"It's the best chance we have!" Kureus argued. Glett grunted in agreement.

The net shifted slightly as Argeth turned over and leaned on his elbow (he was caught between the side net and Glett's shell uncomfortably) and glowered down at him dryly.

"Alright then, say we do pull this off, what about keeping two of us alive, huh? someone's gonna get thrown off this madhouse at dawn unless you think of a plan!"

"Oh, go roll yourself in a ball and..." Kureus's voice died in his throat, and his eyes became wide and distant. Clementine bit her lip in concern, tapping him on the shoulder the best she could as she was still squashed.

She hadn't seen what he had just seen. There was a trio of small, skinny rats munching on some scraps fruit- obviously they weren't part of the crew- and where standing on the side of the ship nearby.

"Kureus? are you okay?"

A smile spread across the elk's face light the sun over the land. He looked far to pleased in such a situation. Finally after a spell of utter silence he said:

"I've got a plan...we won't need to throw anyone off by dawn...cause we won't still be here!"

"What's the plan?" Clementine asked enthusiastic, feeling much better now that a plan was brewing.

Kurues looked around the ship- the pirates were further along, laughing and singing, playing music and eating fruit without a care nor a suspicion in the world. Still, he dropped his voice all the same.

"We get those rats over there to nibble a hole in the rope- not too big- but big enough for Maut and Argeth to get through..."

"Wait, what?" Argeth exclaimed in a whisper above, but was ignored as the rest of the group pointed theirs gazed over to the rats in question.

"Then, Argeth rolls up in a ball and hides near the pirates. When they're not looking, he can sneak up and hide amounst the fruit. He can snag one of their weapons, roll back here unnoticed and cut a bigger hole!"

"Why not jst cut the whole thing down?" Maut inquired in a hush. The elk replied,

"It would draw too much attention if we all landed on the ground at the same time..."

"Oh, gotcha. Then what?"

"We grab that little boat over there- they must have it encase the ship is sunk!"

The group saw he was right. Tied down at side of the ship was a smaller, flat iceberg. It was big enough to carry all of them safely and give them a good space to walk about.

"Brilliant!" Clementine exclaimed quietly to herself.

"Yeah, sending me on a death sentence!" Areth hissed furiously "And how are we gonna get those scrawny rats to help us anyway?!"

Clementine looked closely at the rats, who were feasting on a discarded core. Then, her eyes shifted to the pirates over by the bowls of fruit.

"Hey- do you think if we offered those rats some more food they'd help us? We could promise them we'd get them some while we're getting the weapon."

Kureus looked at her with an exited smile. "Yeah! that'll work! and while we're at it, we can grab some supplies- and your herbs. Look, there's more supplies further away from the pirates over there. If you and Maut could sneak over behind the piles, you could get them back."

"While we're doing that you and Argeth can lower the boat!" Clementine added.

"Yes! it has to work!"

"I hate all of you..." Argeth muttered darkly from above.

The pirates finsihed their song with a loud shout of enthusiasm around the torch fire hanging down form the mast, making the scene apprear almost like a that of a camp fire.

Captian Gutt lounged back against the mast, holding a of fruit in one large, clawed hand.

This was working out hell. They could hear the partially injured survivors arguing; Looks like they were having trouble with their decision, he thought with a grin.]

"That was a fun shanty!" Flynn said jubilantly, throwing another piece of fruit into his large mouth. Squint, being the mean little rabbit her was, sped over and snatched most of the fruit again before the seal could blink, leaving him with a trembling lip and unhappy expression. This was beging to be his favourite trick to play on the seal.

Squint returned to his place near Gupta, who kept giving him an irritatingly sly look.

"What are you looking at, flag?" he snapped, taking a large ill-mannered bite out of an apple.

"So." The badger said in his accented voice "How are you getting on with your new girl?"

"She ain't my girl- she's an annoying little pipsqueak." He retorted ears standing on end. Really, him, liking a girl?

"Then why did you keep trying to get her attention, dude?"

"I was not!" He retorted, his hold on his dagger tightening. Gupta noticed this and laughed.

"I was being threatening!"

"You were being attention-seeking, long ears."

"Go to heck, Badger, and shut your big mouth!" The rabbit said. Any minute now, the rest of the crew thought eagerly, a fight was sure to break out. And Gupta was asking for it big time.

"_Ha_, you wouldn't fool a blind moth, Easter Bunny!" The badger said, turning away to begin playing his fruit again when something slammed into his side, tackling him to the floor and pounding on his head.

"I'm gonna decorate the ship with your brains!"

* * *

While the mauling commenced a small, round shape rolled through the darkness. Argeth raised a brow slightly at the banter- but was glad for the distraction.

He rolled quickly beside a pile of round fruit. In the darkness of the night he was well hidden, or at least he hoped so.

He spotted a promosing looking dagger nearby. But the bad news was that it was right beside Gutt's hand/foot. Argeth cursed to himself and his eyes flickered around in search of another weapon- but they were all stationed near the crew, embedded in the ground where they could see them. The small dagger must have been left there carelessly.

Growling at the stupid idea his teammates somehow talked him into, he rolled as slowly as a snail towards the mast. On the other side, Gutt leaned against it completely unaware.

Reaching the other side of the trunk-mast, Argeth stood up and pressed himself against it, keeping his breath slow and steady.

Bending down, he leaned over the round side slightly and made sure the crew wasn't looking. Not like there was any need- they were too busy watching the rabbit and badger fight it out in the center of the group.

Holding his breath, he reached out for the dagger beside the ape Capitan's foot.

Suddenly Gutt looked down, and for a split second after he pulled his paw back, he thought he'd been caught. Then, the ape shrugged and went back to watching the fight.

Heart pounding, Argeth tried again. This time his paw touched the dagger, and he couldn't help but glance at Gutt's foot and wonder how on earth he was able to use them as well as hands...

_Wait a second...that scar..._

Then he stopped, paw closed around the dagger and eyes widening as he stared. There was a distinctive scar on the back of the foot/hand. cutting through the dark skin and fur; An unmistakably familiar one. It was old, but still very visible.

_It couldn't be...It is!_

Upon hearing Gutt laugh out loud at seeing a particularly sore-looking punch, Argeth snapped out of his shock and drew back, pressing himself up against the other side of the mast again, holding the dagger close to his chest.

_So it was you..._

Argeth suddenly had a plan B form in his head. If this absurd one failed, he knew exactly how to get Gutt to let the others live. It was not he was friends with them, but he had been working with them for far too long to stay alive just to let them die now.

He rolled back into a ball and hurried back silently, thinking to himself dryly.

_You're gonna wish you threw me overboard, old pal..._

* * *

New chapter guys!

Please review. or the pirates will sing another shanty- this time using drums.

Lol kidding.

'Cave Painting' updates will be slowly from now on- I need to get re-inspired. Maybe I'll watched the first film again.


	5. Chapter 5

Here's the next chapter, people. Hope you like and please...REVIEW!

* * *

CHAPTER 5: WORKING OUT NICELY

Finally Squint and the badger where dragged apart by the crew members and flung aside.

Gutt had decided that the entertainment was getting a little dull, so order that it stop. The rabbit dusted himself off, picking up his dagger and grumbling to himself.

He'd get Gupta some other time. That Badger was no match for him...

Abruptly a sliding sound caught his attention, and he whipped around, blade out, nose twitching slightly. He listened closely.

Staring around the fruit piled up in the clam shells suspiciously. He was alone over here at this side of the ship- and all the others were still around the torch light.

Then who was sneaking around?

"Hey! is that you, rats!" He brandished his weapon threateningly, as the rats were becoming quite a problem with stealing their supplies. They couldn't seem to get rid of them.

He began searching among the piles, completely unaware that two forms just behind the nearest pile of fruit where folding their breath, preying that he wouldn't see them.

Clementine and Maut cringed as they heard the buck's footsteps getting closer. Clementine was already shivering like a leave in the wind from the nerves, and this situation was almost making her have a heart attack.

Maut wasn't as bad, but not that much better, either. The exchanged grimaces as Squint stopped literary just a few centimeters away, the only thing keeping them from certain failure and death a few measly fruits.

Then, the rabbit shrugged and wandered off, giving up on the idea that someone was sneaking about. Clementine breathed out shakily. She had just grabbed her pack of herbs- that she had found buried under some fruit and proceeded to gather some food for both their group and the rats when Squint had been thrown nearby.

"That was too close...We can't keep coming back and forth for food." She whispered over at her companion. The bat thought quickly, then spotted a clam shell filled with fruits.

Suddenly the bat had an idea. "Let's just grab the clam and run!"

Clementine didn't know how the bat would be able to help her move it, but tried all the same. Keeping her head ducked she grabbed one side of the clam and pulled it along, the bat pushing the other. It slid along noisily at first, and they were scared they'd been caught for a moment when they heard more music starting up. Good. More distraction.

They returned to the rest of the crew, who were untying the life boat as quickly as possible. Argeth appeared to be the only one untying the vines holding it down (being the only one present apart from the bat and rabbit with grasping paws) And as Clementine went over to help him she saw Kureus and Glett were placing the food on the boat.

Suddenly one of their adversaries said something loudly over near the pirates, as if making an announcement. It also signaled that they were coming closer.

"Hurry!" Clementine hissed. She and Argeth grabbed the ropes and began lowering the boat down to the water. The process was slow and the boat was incredibly heavy for the two.

"Oh no!"

Clementine looked over her shoulder and spotted the kangaroo wandering closer. Raz stopped, seeing the shredded net, then her gaze met hers.

They stared at each other for a split second before reacting.

"PRISONERS ESCAPING!" the kangaroo roared at the top of her lungs. Clementine gasped loudly as the pirates turned around from the torchlight and spotted them.

"To heck with this!" Argeth yelled, letting go of the rope "Drop it and let's go! move! move! move!"

The animals leaped down onto the boat just as it began falling. Glett hopped on just in time before it fell into the ice waters below.

They all lost their balance on impact, but miraculously the food and the members managed to stay on. Getting back to their feet, they rushed around re-gathering the supplies.

Kurues wasted no time in kicking hard against the other boat with his hind legs while Argeth pressed at it with a long stick to push their boat away into the current.

They began floating away just as the pirates looked over the side, all with hilariously baffled looks adorning their rugged features.

"So long, suckers!" Argeth called as they began drifting away in the current.

Gutt, high above, growled in fury and barked out commands to his crew.

"After them! don't let them escape with our bounty!"

"ARGH!"

The pirates ran to their posts, readying the cannons and pointing them at the runaway vessel.

Down below, drifting further and further away in the quicken current, Kureus shouted to his crew joyfully:

"We made it!"

"Not yet ya pinhead! they're about to fire their clamps at us!" Argeth announced in reply, pointed at the ship. Sure enough, the skulls came flying out again, clamping shut on the side of their boat and jolting it to a stop. The pirates began reeling in their prey, and more laughter erupted from the deck.

"We got 'em now!" Squint remarked, flipping his blade in the air as the smaller boat was dragged closer.

"They nearly got away, Captain!" Flynn remarked stupidly from beside him. Gutt groaned slightly at this and slammed a foot down on Flynn's tail fin painfully.

"Ow-ow-ow!"

Down below, the the Elk Captain glared over tat he vines dragging them back towards their doom.

"CUT IT!" Kureus ordered, directing his gaze towards Clementine, who was holding the knife Argeth had shoved in her paws so he could re-gather the fallen supplies.

"The rest of you paddle, paddle like your lives depend on it!"

"Oh, they depend on it alright, ya twit!" The armadillo replied, using a makeshift oar stolen from the pirate ship to begin rowing. Glett and Maut began paddling, too.

Clementine dashed as fast as she could towards the vines and began cutting them one by one. The pirates growled loudly in dismay, for they were too far away to stop her.

Gutt, on the other handle, thought otherwise. Now, who was crazy enough to swing down?

"Mister Squint!" He ordered. The rabbit zoomed into view, saluting.

"Aye, sir?"

"Swing down and deal with the girl!" He commanded sharply, pointing towards a nearby vine. The nutcase rabbit complied instantly "Aye, aye, Captian!"

Clementine cut the second vine with ease. Just two more to go and then...

"WOOOHOOO!"

Something swung through the air towards their boat. Clementine's jaw, ears and belief dropped at the sight.

Squint landed right in front of her, swinging his knife in his paw, looking slightly dazed but very triumphant.

"That was cool!" He remarked, more to himself than anyone else. Then, he pointed his knife at her.

"Sup!"

"Nothing much." Clementine said distractedly, looking over his shoulder at he remaining vines "Just going past you. Goodbye!"

She tried to dart around him, but he slid in front of her sharply, blocking her path. Clementine was fuming. Don't tell me he'd playing this game again.

"Get out of my way!" She ordered, swiping at his with her own weapon. She wasn't aiming to hurt him, just scare him a little.

He recoiled a little to avoid it, and she took this chance to run around him quickly, cutting the second-last vine.

Squint growled, running forward. "Oh, no ya don't!"

Clementine was tackled to the floor sharply. She cried out, batting at him while yelling:

"Guys! we have a problem! and _it's squint-eyed!" _

Abruptly Squint was pulled away like a fly by a frog's toung. Clementine looked up to find, to her great surprise, that her rescuer was Argeth.

The armadillo threw the rabbit halfway across the ship, ignoring his calls of protest. He then grabbed the knife himself and severed the last vine.

It was then the crew realized it was too late; they were too close to the Pirate Ship now.

Gutt saw this as well. Grinning maliciously the ape raised a hand, signalling to his crew. Then, all the crew excluding him dropped down on to the lifeboat, Flynn landing a belly-flop on the unsuspecting elk below. He bounced on top of him continuously, and the elk yelled in a broken, painful sentence.

"Ow! THIS-" _Bounce _"IS" _bounce_ "THE MOST PAINFUL-" _Bounce_ "MOMENT OF MY-" _Bounce _"Life!"

The rest of the crew was surrounded, sharp fish-bone weapons pointing at their throats. Squint made sure to point his weapon back and forth threateningly between Clementine and Argeth, grinning. Clementine drew back slightly from the blade, but Argeth didn't even flinch. In fact, he rolled his eyes as if he couldn't care less.

"That was cute. Really cute." Gutt called down lazily from above as his crew chuckled darkly along with his sentence. "But now the fun's over."

Clementine and Argeth stood side-by side, the armadillo muttering:

"Well. That worked out nicely."

Clementine could only reply with one statement.

"We are gonna die." The bat on her shoulder nodded once.

"Yep."

* * *

Sorry if it seems rushed.

Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6: WHEN THE PAST COMES BACK TO BITE YOU.

Hanging upside down wasn't any fun unless you were a bat.

The group was strung up by the legs, hanging upside down from the branches embedded in the large trunk making up the mast.

Each individual was tied with individual lines; Why the pirates when through so much trouble to tie them all up one by one- but whatever they had planned couldn't be good.

Clementine tried to ignore the aforementioned crew's laughter as she glanced around at her fellow prisoners. Kureus and Glett were tied by all four feet so they hung uncomfortably in the air, their backs facing the ground. Their necks strained painfully whenever they tried to look around; It was obviously giving them both sore necks.

Clementine could feel the blood rushing to her head from her large feet and felt slightly nauseous. Maut was the only one aside from Argeth (not surprisingly) who wasn't bothered by their upside-down position.

Argeth had his arms folded, per usual. Clementine wondered if they were glued there.

"So!"

They turned their heads towards Captain Gutt, who had just swung into view.

"The sun in shining, the seas are blue, so how about we get on with the show?" He announced, arms spread wide. The crew gathered around him roared in approval.

Clementine didn't like the look of this.

"Your going to regret this, monkey." A cold, calm voice said beside her. Gutt rose a brow at the armadillo with a look in his eyes that Clem didn't like at all. It was murderous.

"Really?Well the, since your so talkative today, you can go first. First Mate!" Gutt turned to the white saber Clementine remembered from before.

"Have him thrown over board." The ape finished curtly as he knuckled-walked to the side of the deck to watch the 'show' commence.

"Aye, sir. Prepare the blank!" Shira ordered loudly. This commanded was echoed by a certain squint-eyed rabbit that she wasn't too fond of.

Now Clementine knew why they were all strung up individually. And she was right- it wasn't good at all. As the rest of her group, including her. called out in protest, the kangaroo from earlier cut down the indifferent armadillo from the mast and began carrying him by the leg towards the plank. It was pushed over the side slightly by the large seal.

Still, through all of this, his arms remained folded. Clementine didn't know whether to be impressed or annoyed.

He was thrown onto his feet and shoved onto the plank, the crew members pointing their weapons at him. He stood with his back to the water, frowning with his arms still remarkably folded. It was only until he took one step back on the plank that he let them fall to his sides lazily.

"Any last words?" Gutt asked, holding a long blade before the armadillo's narrowed eyes.

"How about...go to hell?"

SLAP.

Argeth hit the blade underneath the handle, ducking under the sharp blade. It was so quick that Gutt was taken aback and let go, and the second he did the armadillo grasped the blade, swirled it around and jumped into a fighting stance away from the plank. The ape blinked in surprise but pulled another weapon from the side.

"Look at you- a miniature landlubber with a sword. This'll be fun."

He lunged and Argeth promptly dodged. Clementine, who had watched the scene unfold with growing admiration whooped.

"Yeah, go Argeth! Wooh!" Squint whipped up beside her, giving her a squint-eyed glare before throwing in his own cheer.

"Extinct that armadillo, Captain!"

Argeth, to everyone's great surprise, was putting up a formidable fight. He dodged ever blow and parried every slice, rolling into a ball now and again to try to strike the ape.

But his own attacks were parried as well. It was almost like they were an equel match.

The armadillo climbed up onto branch on the, hastily hopping onto another as the ape slice at him as he climbed up after him.

"Well, well aren't we talented?!"

They were now balanced on a long log tethered between the masts. They both held their weapons tight with unamused glares boring into each other.

"I have my skills, _Guver_. Not that you would remember." Argeth snarled dangerously, brandishing his weapon a little.

Gutt's expression morphed from fury into astonishment. He stared at he armadillo; noting he familiar sharp features, the sarcastic voice...

Then, his face warped back into fury and he lunged forward, almost cutting Argeth in two. The sword-fish bone lodged itself in the wood.

"Been a long time, old friend." The armadillo stated from a few steps back. Gutt pulled his weapon out of the wood and growled.

"Not long enough. I hoped you'd starved or something, _kid_."

Argeth's snide expression faded to one of disgust and disappointment, yet he said:

"So you do remember. Should I be touched or something?" He shook his head in disbelief.

"What _happened_ to you?"

Gutt gave a humorless smirk and shrugged. "Nothing much. Got a crew, a better life. Forgot saps like you."

"Huh.I see." The other mammal nodded with slight disgust adorning his expression.

A second later they were back to parrying and dodging. Argeth took this chance to get plan 'B' started.

"You know, it wouldn't be good for your reputation if some things..got out, would they?"

Argeth jumped back a little to survey the reaction, a small smirk tracing his lips. When Gutt realized what he meant his eyes narrowed.

"You'll be shredded to pieces in a few seconds, kid. And even if you ran around shouting stuff, who says they'll believe you?"

He swiped at him again, but Argeth jumped, avoiding the blow with ease.

"Oh they'll believe me alright. But I'm willing to strike a deal with you, for old times sake."

Gutt had no intention of letting him strike a bargain but let him go ahead anyway.

"Alright then. Say you have a good argument to hold up, what would your terms be?" He grinned darkly, displaying a mouthful of mismatched yellow teeth.

Argeth frowned deeply. "You let all of our group join you, all of them, and I won't start telling your crew about your past. Don't say they won't believe me; I have my ways."

He watched as Gutt scratched his furry chin thoughtfully, watching him with a slightly mocking expression. His paws clenched.

"Hm. Maybe you're not as useless as I thought you where. Alright then it's a deal...for now."

* * *

A second later Gutt dropped down in front of his crew. The armadillo rolled down from the branches on the mast, popping out of his shell beside Clementine, giving Squint (who was still standing beside her) a threatening look.

"Alright lads, your all part of the crew for now." The pirates looked slightly surprised, but laughed when Gutt went on: "But If any of you prove more worthless than you already are, it's the plank for all of you!"

The kangaroo hopped near to them and cut all the vines in a single swipe, and the group landed painfully on the ground.

Clementine was up in a flash beside Argeth, yelling:

"WHAT?"

"Calm it, Clem." The armadillo said with a note of sincerity in his voice, which dropped low suddenly. "I'll talk to you later."

"So...we're in this crew now?" Maut the bat asked from beside her foot, an eyebrow raised.

"Yeh. Betta' get used to a rough life quick, mates!" the kangaroo answered, prodding both her and Clementine in the stomach.

Clementine and the rest of her group (sans Argeth) cringed as the crew cackled menacingly. They weren't going to last an hour on this boat, she bet her ears on it...

Her gaze traveled from the kangaroo and subsequently met with Squint, who gave her a curious raised brow. Then, he smiled meanly.

"We're gonna get along just fine, right girlie?"

Clementine was already stepping behind Argeth and Glett, muttering only one meek sound:

_"Meep..."_

* * *

LOL poor Clementine.

Argeth's being badass...

Please review.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7: WHEN DIGNITY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

"This is crazy."

"This is survival."

The whole day had been nothing but mental and physical torture for the new crew members. The pirates made extra sure to torment them whenever they were given an order or one of them had to work with them; Clementine was already beginning to despise that kangaroo she'd been helping re-stack the weapons with.

Working with them and being laughed at took almost every ounce of their dignity away.

And now she stood at the end of the ship facing a very irritable armadillo, who rolled his eyes are her constant protests of his 'plan B'

"You really can't think we'll survive the week, can you?" She exclaimed, throwing up her arms and pacing around. He shrugged.

"Excuse me for keeping us alive. Or would you prefer walking the plank?" He gestured lightly to the edge of the ship with a tilt of his head.

Clementine was almost about to agree to this out of pure spite, but stopped herself just in time. Sighing, the doe rubbed her temples to try to rid them of her headache.

"Okay fine, I guess you had no choice. But we're not like them, we can't-"

"Then you'll just have to learn?"

Clementine gave him a disbelieving, doubtful look "What makes you so sure about all of this?"

"Because I'm not a wimp like you. Personally I just think you're ticked about having to be within five miles of that squint-eyed squirt. How's that coming along, anyway?"

"Mslf..." The noise was completely intelligible but explained all she needed to say, with her shoulders hunched and an awkward, uncomfortable look on her face.

"He keeps jumping out of places and scaring me!"

A brow rose. "Does it work?"

"Not anymore. It just feel awkward."

A groan. "I'll deal with him if he tries anything like giving you a heart attack- but you;ll have to figure out your own method of dealing with him."

Clementine's expression cheered at his reluctant promise of help, and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Do not worry; I have a plan that's worked so far after I decided to put a stop to him. Whenever I see him I'll just make my way to the opposite side of the ship. That way I'll avoid him and get to move my legs around."

"Keeping fit, are we?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, we need to keep together whatever dignity our group has left."

Argeth rolled his eyes, a trace of a smirk appearing on his face. "We're in a pirate crew now. Dignity has nothing to do with it."

Clementine sighed. Things were always more awkward when dignity had nothing to do with it...

Her thoughts were cut off by the armadillo's next inquiry.

"What about the other's wounds?"

Clementine's ears rose considerably. "I've been using my herbs to treat Kureus and the others. They're looking better every hour."

The armadillo nodded, though Clementine could tell his mind was elsewhere.

"Was is it?" He shrugged.

"Nothing. Just thinking. We'd better get back to minding the ship before his royal ape-ness finds us chattering."

Later on Clementine was sitting alone at one side of the ship. She'd finally been left alone by the kangaroo and was grinding up some herbs from her back for Maut, who had re-opened a cut on her wing when she'd flown to fast. Apparently Silass- the seagull- had challenged her to a race when Clementine specifically told her not to put strain on it.

She was so busy looking down at her bowl that she didn't notice a skinny figure creeping up behind her.

Squint rose a quint-eyed brow, slowly leaning over the other rabbit's shoulder in slight curiosity.

What was she doing with those leaves, anyway? and why was she grinding them up?

Clementine suddenly felt something brush against her whiskers. Her eyes shot wide.

She squeaked a little and jumped up, clasping her bowl to her chest only to groan when she realized who the cackling sneak was.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" She muttered, but didn't move away like she usually did. She sat back down a few spaces away from him and continued what she was doing, even though most of her mind wanted to run to the other side of the boat she felt so awkward.

Argeth had suggested that she stand her ground- make it look like he didn't bother her anymore. That would surely send Squint packing.

Instead, Squint wandered over and lounged beside her, leaving against a trunk embedded in the ice that was used for storing things like weapons and tools.

"Got nothing else ta do. I'm bored."

"Tragic." Clementine muttered, leaning away slightly from the buck beside her. "Well, I;m busy, so..."

"Busy doing what?" He asked scornfully. Clementine's temper was straining dangerously but he didn't seem to catch it.

"Preparing healing herbs. Now please go-"

"So that's how you heal stuff. Looks weird." He remarked. Clementine retorted before she could stop herself.

"You face looks weird. Now please go away and leave me alone!"

He started at her with a gob-smacked expression. Then he was on his feet, very close, looming over her.

"No girlie tells me what to do on my own ship!"

Clementine was on her feet as fell, leaving the bowl on the ground. She leaned back at little but didn't make any more to back away.

"I just did. Now..."

"If they kiss I'm gonna be sick."

Both long-eared mammals jerked their heads over to find Gupta and Maut standing nearby. Upon being noticed, the two burst out laughing. It was in that second, with wide-eyed looks, the rabbits realized how close their heads were.

"Wait- yuck, No!" Squint yelled, recoiling in disgust as Clementine jumped back, looking mortified. Then, her temper snapped.

She stormed over to her bat companion looking murderous. The bat flew away, double time.

Clementine counted to ten and calmed herself, turning to look for a bowl. She found Squint had sauntered off somewhere and couldn't help but be pleased.

_He's gone. Phew..._

* * *

"You better not have told that little bunny friend fo yours anything."

Argeth leaned against the Matt up at the helm. Gutt was fiddling with the edge of his bone weapon, scowling menacingly over at the armadillo.

"I told Clementine nothing. I was just discussion how to get rid of annoying shrimps."

Gutt rolled his eyes and smirked slightly. "Yeah. Like the shrimp in front of me."

"Comic Genius. So where are we heading, anyway?"

"South. That's where the current's going. It'll bring more ships closer, and that means more bounty for us."

Gutt chuckled darkly upon seeing the rare trace of worry pass over the armadillo's brow.

"You never were the violent type. I wonder how your skills even got so good if you wouldn't hurt a flee..."

"Correction." Argeth cut in snidely "I learned for self-defense. And no, I don't like harming innocent animals. So sue me."

Gutt knew he'd gotten him right where he wanted him. He walked closer, smirking down at the armadillo as he drew back from the larger creature.

"If you don't do as I say, then you're little crew, especially that kid you look after, is going to _get it_."

"Leave the kid out of this, Guver."

CRASH.

Argeth choked harshly as he was slammed by the neck into the mast. Gutt pressed harder against his narrow throat, muttering under his breath:

"Call that again and I'll kill you."

"Fine." Argeth rasped in reply. He was released, not at all gently, and he slid down the bark, coughing. He glared as he watched the ape move away with loathing.

"You don't want a repeat of last time, would ya?" Gutt called over his shoulder. Argeth hated to admit it, but he knew he was right.

He wondered if he'd made the right decision after all.

* * *

DUN DUN DUUUUUN.

BTW for those who think that Argeth is romantically interested in Clementine, I want to make it clear that he's a bit too old for her.

Though others may think otherwise.

But, any relationship between them is completely platonic.

Please review...


	8. Chapter 8

_Please review!_

* * *

CHAPTER 8: A HEALER'S PAWS.

Raz the kangaroo, along with Flynn the seal, was hauling up a heavy boulder of ice up the mast to change the balance. This would tip the boat ever-so-slightly towards the south a little more, changing their coarse.

Clementine was wandering around somewhere nearby, watching apprehensively.

"Don't you think that's a little...risky?" She remarked. The kangaroo snorted.

"Heh. If yer a wimp." She glanced humorously towards her, sniggering. Clementine rolled her eyes and directed her attention to a small slab of ice nearby.

It was more interesting than they where, anyway.

The day was foggy and dull; The crew could barely see where they were going so they'd sent Silass along to scout the waters. The chilly air flew past the ship in a soft, uneasy breeze. The ship was moving at a slow pace.

Raz grunted, the vine in her hands slipping slightly. Just a few more pulls and then-

CRASH.

The ship jolted abruptly as it collided with a hidden iceberg below. Raz yelped suddenly as the vine was jerked out of her grasp and didn't have time to dodge as the block of ice she and Flynn had hauled up the mast fell down towards them, its sharp side catching her shoulder and slicing a large cut from it down her arm.

They heard Gutt yelling scornfully at Silass above for missing the iceberg.

The kangaroo recoiled and promptly lost her footing, clasping her injury with a growl.

"Uh-oh!" Flynn exclaimed as the others began gathering around them "Are you alright, Raz?"

"No, ya half-wit!" She spat. Gutt swung down nearby, glancing at her.

"Well that was a job well done, wasn't it?" He said sarcastically, looking back and forth between the two.

"Alright, boys, get back to work. Raz, Flynn!" He turned to them, scowling deeply. "You get yourselves in order and find another block. Quickly."

The tone in his voice made sure to tell them that he meant this to be done with no delay. Raz got to her feet with a grunt, ready to find another block when a timid-adorned voice asked:

"Would you like me to look at it?"

Raz rolled her eyes and turned to face the sap known as the rabbit. Clementine stepped back upon seeing the fierce expression.

"I don' need yer help, mate. Leave me alone." She turned around again when the rabbit called after her:

"That wound won't close on its own. You might need stitches."

Raz didn't know what she meant by 'stitches' and rolled her eyes.

"Nah. I'll heal up. Now get lost."

Clementine watched with dislike as the kangaroo waltzed out of sight. She groaned.

Later Gutt would notice a bad infection and would probably order her to have the healing done- and by that time the cut was going to be ten times harder to deal with.

She sighed. Better get her needle and thread ready...

* * *

Sure enough, by the time night had fallen the wound was infected. Raz glared at her shoulder with frustration. It looked pretty bad; Yellowish puss was showing through the skin, and the area beneath the fur was turning red.

Clementine was standing before her with her arms folded, looking quite smug.

"All right, ya lil' pest you can fix my arm but after ya do, ya beat it." Raz pointed a claw down at her. "Ya gottit?"

"Clear as crystal." Clementine had already prepared herself for this. She knew (having dealt with stubborn patients beofre) that infections would begin to hurt and cause sickness, finally making them relent.

The rabbit seemed to change completely as she began mushing up herbs in the bowl with a look of complete concentration. Raz was surprised; It was as if the timid little figure she'd met before was gone and this new long-eared healer had made an appearance. Someone who looked like she knew exactly what she was doing.

Cleaning the wound of puss was grotesque; But it has to be done. Clementine had used a type of herbs that allowed it to seep out of the cut quickly.

Then, she poured salt water on Raz's arms, making sure the kangaroo wasn't looking. If she knew salt water was being poured on her cut she wouldn't protested.

"Ow! ya little-"

"Had to be done." The rabbit snapped firmly. Raz just stared at her in shock. Okay.

"Wha' happened to that lil' squirt I met earlier?" She asked with one brow raised. Clementine had now taken out a needle, followed by a thin, tiny rope. Raz watched curiously as she began poking the string in between each side of her wound (something that proved quite painful) and finally Clementine answered.

"She's busy."

Clementine tied the last stitch, making sure everything was in order. Feeling quite tired as the process was taking a long time, she bound the wound in some spare leaves.

"There you go, all done." She said, a line the rabbit repeated after every job. Raz flexed her arm.

"Heh. I'm sorta impressed, shrimp. How'd ya do that, anyway?" Clementine shrugged.

"I learned from someone else." She didn't want to go into it. The last time she'd told someone she'd learned from a human they'd thought she was crazy.

Raz had to admit if felt much better. "Nice job, then. Maybe you aren't so dumb after all."

"I'll take that as a complement." The doe replied, packing away her things in her pack.

"Remember, I'll have to check that soon. Infections are my worst enemy; they take forever to deal with."

Raz shrugged in some sort of agreement. "I got work to do, squirt. I'll see ya."

"See you." Clementine replied, watching her leave.

"Making friends?"

The rabbit turned, found Argeth leaning against a slab of ice nearby and frowned at him, drawing nearer so they could continue their talk away from the others.

"Good. That'll help us, actually. Encase you haven't noticed, we're on thin ice."

"What do you mean, exactly?"

"I can't say much. let's just say that I struck a bargain, and if we prove too useless we're all going to die."

Clementine blinked. "That's a bit blunt."

"The ends of their weapons aren't though. Keep that in mind."

Clementine watched him saunter off, brow creased moodily. She sighed.

Glett came up to stand beside her, grunting in a form of greeting. She smiled.

"Hey Glett. You doing okay here?" He nodded quietly. The rabbit returned it.

"I'm doing okay...at least, under these circumstances."

Abruptly someone jumped right beside her, making her jump.

"You doing that weird healing stuff a minute ago?" The buck questioned rudely, raising a brow. Clementine folded her arms, looking away from him.

"Yes, I was. And it's not weird, it's useful."

"Huh. Really." The other rabbit laughed a little, clearly not believing her. Raz, however, was listening in on their banter.

"Oy, Squint. Leave the shrimp along, would ya, and come help me stack these weapons. They're not gonna do it themselves."

"What?" He glared over his shoulder at her. " You do it! I'm busy!"

"Get your sorry self over here before someone thinks yer looking for attention!"

Clementine was about to retort when Glett gave her a grunt, gesturing with his round head towards Squint. He'd gone rigid, ears down menacingly.

Then, growling, he march over to help. Clementine spotted Raz wink knowingly and grinned widely.

Making friends proved more useful that she'd thought. She looked over at Glett, who was smiling knowingly as well.

Clementine didn't like the idea that people thought the two rabbits were interested in each other (honesty, she felt mortified) but it was funny how it had affected Squint's pride, as he clearly had the same thoughts as her.

Glancing at Glett, who was clearly thinking the same thing as he watched Squint arguing with Raz, they promptly burst out laughing.

* * *

Another chapter is uuuup.

Review, please.


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry folks, updates are DEFINITELY going to be slower. *Dodges tomatoes*

HEY WHAT DO YOU WANT A CHAPTER EVER SECOND?!

I can't keep working like this! my neck hurts so much it's as if Flynn his a belly-flop on it!

Alright, folks who want a chapter tomorrow, put your hands up. Keep in mind I have my shotgun that is reserved encase of Mary Sues handy.

PUT YOUR HAND DOWN, YOU. YEAH YOU.

Lol joking. Here's the next chapter.

PLEASE REVIEW...

* * *

CHAPTER 9: MEMORIES OF A DIFFERENT LIFE.

_The sky had been cloudy on the day two unlikely people met._

_Guver was what you would describe as a moody, solitary teen, as he proffered to be alone. He usually lounged up in his favorite try doing nothing in particular. The days of playing tricks on an unsuspecting passer-by had grown tiresome._

_And, naps weren't so bad._

_Once day while he was having one of these naps, he was disturbed by a loud cry somewhere in the jungle. Jolting out of his sleep the young ape growled to himself in annoyance._

_He decided to was going to teach a lesson to the idiot that woke him up._

_Swinging through the trees for a while towards the source of the noise, he found a clearing beside the watering hole._

_There was a group of saber subs around his own age- three of them, all male. The appeared to be rolling around a grayish ball between them- cackling. Guver began to wonder what was so mean-spirited about throwing a ball around when it smacked hard against a fallen trunk, stretched out to show a very dizzy, battered armadillo._

_He was younger than him, probably half his age. He spoke in a high, warbling voice that gave a good indication to how young he was- probably eight or even seven._

_"Ow...ya, you keep doing that." He groaned as he lay on his back. He moved his arm up to point at them "I've felt baby chicks kick harder than you..."_

_Guver's brow raised slightly. Weird comment..._

_He watched as the sabers closed in again, intent on playing another round. Knowing no idea why he was doing this (maybe because he was a fellow wise-guy at heart) he called out._

_"Hey, kittie cats!"_

_Their playfulness vanished and was replaced by aggression. The saber-tooths turned and growled threatening, advancing towards the trunk of the tree he was hanging outside down from, his arms placed behind his head in relation._

_"Look, I know you're dumb and all that stuff, but it takes a real idiot not to realize that kid over there isn't a ball."_

_"We know!" One of the retorted. Guver gave a pretend gasp._

_"Oh, did you?" He grinned mockingly._

_"What do you want ape?" Another asked. The third one added in a high-pitched voice,_

_"Yeah!"_

_"Oh nothing. Just for you idiots to clear off."_

_"...And why would we do that."_

_"Because I'm a weapon throwing, fear inspiring, years to retiring ape who hates annoying kitties and who's about to beat you up."_

_BONK._

_A large coconut flew down from above and slammed against the first one's head. Being not the most peaceful ape teen, Guver had learned a thing or two about fighting._

_When outnumbered, distract the others and take the dummies down one by one._

_The ape swung down and landed on top of the second saber, flattening him before giving the third one a good punch in the long-tooth jaw. The first one, still dazed by the coconut hit, fell onto of the other with a groan._

_Guver smirked to himself, ready to move away when the second saber growled and lunged, sinking his teeth deep into his foot._

_Guver yelped loudly in pain and whacked the saber on the head, but it didn't let go and pulled his feet from under him. He landed on his back with a grunt. The tiger growled, crouching to pounce. Guver didn't have time to move quick enough, and just as the tiger was about to pounce-_

_THWACK._

_Another coconut hit the tiger right on the nose, effectively rendering him unconscious. Groaning, the tiger collapsed._

_Guver stared as his pierced foot for a second before looking over his shoulder to find, to his great surprise, that the armadillo he'd saved...had just saved **him.**_

_The younger kid dusted his paws together with a snide look on his young face. Talk about an odd contrast...the look made him seem older than he probably was._

_"Hmph. I hate tigers." He remarked bluntly. Guver rose a brow, taking hold of his sore foot._

_"Yeah, I got that, kid."_

_My name's not kid." He replied, folding his arms indignantly. "I'm Argeth."_

_"Ar-geth?" Guver tried out the name. The 'th' bit was weird._

_"Well if you're name's so awesome what is it?" Came the sarcastic retort._

_"Guver." _

_"Guuuu-veeer?" The armadillo said, using the same tone Guver had to try out his name. He couldn't help but snort a little, letting out a short laugh._

_"Yeah. Guess we're both part of the lame name club, kid."_

_Argeth shrugged, a faint trace of a smile appearing on his face. It vanished when he saw the injury on his foot._

_"That gonna be okay?"_

_Guver shrugged. It hurt like heck, but he wasn't about to say it out loud._

_"Nuh-uh. Just a scratch. It'll heal up."_

_"Okay then. Thanks, by the way."_

_Guver shrugged, rubbing his bloodied foot. "Don't mention it."_

_Suddenly a shrill voice called from somewhere in the jungle; one addressing Argeth._

_He shrugged again, letting his arms drop from their folded position._

_"Well, gotta go. See ya!"_

_Guver waved a little before leaving himself. He didn't expect to see the squirt ever again. Well, he was wrong about that..._

* * *

Argeth knew that now it was as if that day had never happened by the way Gutt looked as he thought. Up on the top of the mast, the ape was leaning against the wood slightly, sea-shell telescope held in a large, furry hand. But Argeth knew him well enough to tell what he was thinking about.

They'd been arguing per usual down below about how 'useless' Glett was. It had ended in a threat to Glett- and Argeth's- lives.

He's really have to find something for that shell-guy to do around here without bumping into people.

During the argument Maut had thrown in "_Maaa-aan,_ I wish you two had never met. You're arguments are driven this bat crazy!"

That had certainly brought back a few things, even though the sarcastic armadillo knew Gutt would say otherwise.

His train of thought took a left turn sharply as he saw Squint sneaking up behind Clementine. Argeth scowled deeply.

_Alright. Time to sort some idiots out..._

"ACK!"

Clementine never got the scare that was brewing behind her, and thus didn't noticed when Squint's neck was seized by a bony paw and jerked away. He choked, struggling as Argeth dragged him away. Maut watched them go past, eyes wide and mouth bent downwards in a grimace.

She was NOT getting involved in this...

* * *

Squint's really gonna get it now...

PLEASE REVIEW.


	10. Chapter 10

* Loads Shotgun*

ALRIGHT, WHO PUT THEIR HAND UP FOR THIS CHAPTER TO COME OUT TODAY!?

"Aims along the crowd. Reviews are silent."

Kidding! Well I'm glad you did cause I wouldn't have bothered with it. But seriously, after this, slow updates are on the horizon. And no, it's they're not on the icebergs.

* * *

CHAPTER 10: TEMPER ISSUES.

Clementine was generally confused when she saw Squint storming past her, muttering to himself with his paws clenched. A few bruises were clearly forming on his head. Maybe he'd gotten into a fight with one of the other pirates. She was about to turn when she noticed he was glowing at her.

"What?" She asked blankly, ears down and face neutral. No, she was not about to laugh at his beat-up state, and she was not suppressing a giggle when his bunny nose began to wiggle in fury.

"You...don't...say...anything!" He growled in a strained, cringing voice, ears down and eyes bulging madly, blade pointed at her. She wasn't at all intimidated; she'd gotten oddly used to sharp things pointing at her.

She shrugged her shoulders and the buck lowered his weapon, whipping away like a leaf in the wind. She watched his go with a dizzy feeling in her skull. How the heck does he-

"Look, I told you, you need to-"

"Shuddup, Elk!"

Clementine groaned loudly, pulling down her long ears in exasperation. Since they joined the crew, Kureus and Argeth had argued constantly, perhaps more than the aforementioned armadillo was arguing with Gutt. Or anyone else for that matter.

He argued with everyone.

But it was such an ordeal because it left anyone in their immediate area with a headache and a high temper, some of them would like join in with the argument just to get their own point across.

Clementine reluctantly wandered over to the middle of the ship and found the crew was gathering around to watch the argument take place. Squint was leaning on his dagger nearby, couched, cackled to himself as Kurues's noise was prodded painfully by Argeth's club that he liked to cart around.

"You and your sappiness is gonna get us killed!"

"Come on! You know as well as I do that we can't stay-"

Suddenly Argeth jumped up, seized the elk around the muzzle, effectively silencing him and dragging him down to eye level, muttering something that only Clementine caught as she approached the closest to them:

"Are you not aware of the situation! we're talking about a tightrope here! that primate watching us from up on the mast is looking for _any reason _possible to throw us all overboard! Doing what we're told and playing along will keep us_ alive!"_

Kureus's eyes widened and he ceased trying to pull his long face free. Nodded slightly, Argeth shoved him away and pointed up at Maut.

"And you! your gossiping is driving me insane!"

"What?" The bat stood up straight, looking offended. "What did I do?"

"Besides chattering away like a teenager when you should be concentrating on doing something useful..."

Clementine stepped forward, ready to protest. "Argeth, wait a sec-"

"Shuddup, Clem, let me finish! I'm telling the lot of you-"

"You won't be telling us anything!" The bat retorted, pulling a furious face. "Y'all think you so darn right when your-"

Clementine could feel her temper rising like a volcano ready to erupt. She clenched her fist, the twig she'd been using to prepare herbs with straining under the grip. Those nattering voices of theirs just wouldn't...

Shira jumped onto an ice block, eyes flickering around them sternly "What's going on here?"

Argeth retorted sharply "Stupid things from these idiots!"

"Do you know who you're talking to?" The saber asked with a furious yet superior air, eyes narrowing as she flexed her claws.

"Yeah, a kitten. Now-"

_WHACK._

Argeth was hit right in the stomach, sending him flying backwards. Luckily, he rolled into a ball, landed with a bounce, rolled back towards the group and jumped up, landing on his feet with his arms folded perfectly.

"Yeah. NICE."

Everyone stared at him, gaping. Then the argument fired up again along with a certain doe's temper.

The shouting got louder and louder until Clementine snapped along with the twig in her hands. Jumping right into the circle of disagreement, ears bent back, she bellowed:

"QUIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEET!"

They all froze, Argeth with his paw cleaned in the air ready to hit Kureus, Shira leaning forward to pounce, Maut about to face-palm with her paw hanging in the air. It was like they'd been freeze-framed.

Clementine dropped her head and glared around them, daring all of them to speak a word. They didn't. She pointed her fingers out, paws still locked to her sides.

"First off I don't care who started this but _I'm finishing it here!_" She spun around and pointed up at Kureus.

"You! don't talk too much."

She pointed at Argeth. "You! drop the sarcasm for once! please? and YOU!" She turned to Maut with equal fury, as she had a good guess who she'd been 'gossiping' about,

"Stop gossiping or I'll never fix that wing! and YOU!"

She pointed at Squint, who straightened up in surprise. Clementine moved her hands, trying to find the right action before dropping them down by her sides, all the while saying:

_"Stop. Moving. About!"_

There was a long, very long, silence. Clementine dropped her rigid stature, giving a tired sigh.

"Huh. I'm done. I think I need to go lie down..." Losing absolutely drained, the rabbit wandered off with a paw on her head, groaning.

She was oblivious to the fact they'd began to quietly get on with it, a certain armadillo looking very impressed.

All of them returned to what they were doing, excluding a particular grey buck, who whipped up beside her a few moments later.

Oh, please.

"Whoa, you are _loud_!" He said, giving her an odd, squint-eyed smirk. She didn't like it.

"Yes, you are too. Now I'm busy, so..."

Y'know, that armadillo tried to beat me up cause..." He stopped. Wait. He was just about to tell her he was going to scare the living daylight out of her!

Clementine didn't seem to notice. She rose a brow, tilting her head as she realized.

"So it was Argeth who beat you up?" Really? Why would he do that for her? She was about to go on pondering this when Squint pounded the floor with a large foot angrily

"I said 'tried' girlie! no one beats me up!" Clementine giggled again at the sight of his furious nose wiggling. This infuriated him even more.

He pointed his weapon just between her eyes, a mere inch away from her fur. She froze, eyes wide but unafraid.

She almost went cross-eyed.

"You laugh again, I'm gonna slice you right in two!" He laughed madly, shoulders shaking. Clementine rolled her eyes at this.

Suddenly Squint was flicked away by a larger-footed marsupial. Clementine grinned up at Raz, who had lifted the buck up by the tip of her foot and flicked him away like a leaf across the deck.

"Whoa! ack!"

She laughed roughly as Clementine smiled in satisfaction.

"Does he always get chucked around like that?" Clementine inquired curiously. Raz shrugged.

"Yep, Shorty. Neva gets old." They watched as Squint stood up and stormed off, blade in hand.

"He's really..." Clementine tried to find the right word. Raz offered the perfect one:

"Nuts?"

Clementine shrugged, clicking her teeth together thoughtfully.

"That about sums it up."

Raz grinned slyly, playing with the edge of her blade. "By the way...no' like I'm sayin' stuff, but tha' Bat mate o' yours is going on about him liken' ya."

Clementine went rigid. HA. She _knew_ that's what the bat had been going on about!

Wait...double take. Her and SQUINT?

She shuddered at the thought, which caused the kangaroo to snort. "Ha, though. But it could be the reason he's pickin' on ya all the time."

Clementine wasn't convinced. "Or...he could be a nutty bully who loves attention."

Raz laughed gruffly, lowering her weapon and storing it in her pouch.

"True enough. Who knows whats goin' on in that nutty lil' head of his..."

Clementine grimaced, raising a brow. "Who _wants _to!?"

"Pfft. Right enough..."

* * *

PLEASE REVIEW.


	11. Chapter 11

PLEASE REVIEW...

* * *

CHAPTER 11: OUT LIKE A LIGHT.

Squint was balanced on a thin branch extending from the storing trunk, playing darts along with Gupta and Raz. Aiming closely at the target (which was Flynn's fruit, currently piled up on his clam shell) and screwing an eye shut, he hurtled the dagger with a flick of his wrist.

The piece of fruit vanished from Flynn's plate, flying past the ship until it embedded itself in the ice wall behind. Squint clenched his fists, pounding it into the air.

"Yeah!"

"That was nothin'. Watch _this_." Raz lifted up her spear and through it quickly towards the plate, hitting two pieces of fruit at once, all the while the large seal was kept oblivious as he watched the bat nearby juggling some rocks in complete boredom and Clementine ready some more herbs for her foot.

Squint growled at Raz's hit, pulling up five star-fish shaped shells and taking aim again.

Suddenly Flynn took this moment to turn his head and finally notice as the sharp objects came flying towards him. He yelped, jumping back into the side of the ship and rocking it dangerously on impact. Maut dropped her juggling stones, Clementine lost her balance and almost lost her herbs, and Squint toppled off the tall branch, hitting his head as he did so.

"OW!"

"Serves ya right." Argeth called from nearby. He'd been watching the skeptical with disinterest, arms folded (not surprisingly) and leaning against the ice. The corner of his mouth rose slightly at the sight of the buck sprawled face-down on the floor. Then it vanished when he spotted a red gash on the injured area as the rabbit got to his feet, shaking himself dizzily. It wasn't that he cared for this rabbits well being- quite the contrary. But if the gash was as bad as it looked, Clementine would need to get involved.

He didn't like the idea of Clem being within five meters of that crazy nut-job,, who was now yelling furiously at the unfortunate seal they'd been playing a trick on from earlier.

Then, Squint stormed off, holding a paw against his bleeding head and grumbling to himself.

Clementine was watching him as well.

The gash in the head- she examined with a healer's eyes- would continue bleeding without stitches and could cause serious harm if not stopped soon. Had it been any other person on the ship excluding Gutt then she would've darted over instantly, but Squint was another case all together. He didn't look like he wanted to be bothered about it.

But...If he fainted from blood loss it could mean her and her friend's necks... and the healer inside her just wouldn't let it happen.

Pulling on her ears at the indignity of it all she made her way towards the buck, either not realizing Gupta and Maut were watching her go with incredibly wide grins, or ignoring them.

Squint noticed a reluctant figure coming into view as he rubbed his head irritably. He moved the paw away from his head that had restricted his view and rose a brow.

"Whaddaya want?" He asked rudely, noticing an awkward expression done her features.

"Uhh...I may just need to look at that." She gestured to the gash on his head. Squint processed what she said for am oment before stepping back, scowling.

"No way! It's just a scratch!" He turned and folded his harms, adding. "Nothin' I can't handle."

Clementine gave him a blunt look and replied "Yeah. You'll handle it until you collapse from blood loss." She reached forward, trying to brush his hand away from his wound to get a better look, but he recoiled and shoved past her rudely. She dropped her arm, glowering after him.

"You can't make me!" He called as he zipped away. Clementine face-palmed as he vanished from her sight. There had to be a way of getting him to keep still for at least five minutes...

Her ears snapped up when an idea came to her. She had the right herbs, right...for knocking out patients experiencing extreme amounts of pain...

Clementine's eyes rolled over to the stacks of food nearby.

She grinned.

* * *

That night fell quickly soon after their conversation ended. The crew was gathered around the middle of the ship; The music was playing loudly as the original members of the crew played while the new recruits were sat watching, or, in Argeth's case, deep in thought.

He glanced with disdain at Gutt, who was leaning against the mast from a branch up above, chewing on a fruit and listening to the music playing below. _Thank goodness he isn't singing..._

He noticed Clementine was whispering quietly to Maut, who's large ear was twitching with the intense attention she was giving, a small sneaky grin of her face. Clementine looked like she was a few moments away from breaking into a grin herself. She gestured for Raz, who was still playing her instrument as she leaned over, and began to whispering to her, too.

He frowned. What...?

CLANK.

The crew went silent as they spotted Squint had fallen over after taking a single bite out of his fruit. He'd promptly collapsed after he swallowed, out for the count.

Raz rolled her eyes, an action that didn't seem to match a knowing grin of her face as she hopped over and grabbed him by the foot, carrying him off.

"Too much apples and runnin' about did it. I'll dump him we're his snorin' won't be a problem."

She disappeared away from the crew, no one but Argeth noticing that Clementine was hurrying after her, healing instruments in hand. He rolled his eyes.

Typical...but, he noted as he allowed himself to smile, very smart. At that moment a memory flashed in his mind when he thought of the fruit, and the fire didn't help.

He groaned silently as the music continued.

* * *

_"You!"_

_Guver was extremely surprised to find a familiar armadillo wandering below the tree he was in. Argeth rose a brow at him and shrugged in indifference, brow furrowed as usual._

_"Yeah. Sup."_

_Guver shrugged. "Nothing. Eating fruit."_

_"Hm. I've never had fruit from up there before."_

_Guver looked very surprised. "Are you serious?"_

_"Well...Armadillos don't climb that much."_

_Guver nodded once at this. "You been living on berries or something?" __Argeth folded his arms, looking off to the side with indifference. _

_"Pretty much."_

_Guver plucked one of the fruit hanging around him and tossed it down. Argeth looked lightly surprised, but caught it either way. Shrugging as well, the younger boy took a bite._

_A genuine, seemingly rare smile spread on his face. Guver smiled and leaned back importantly._

_"Its not bad, Ape. No wonder you guys lounge up there all the time..."_

_Guver frowned, eyes snapping open. What did he mean, all the time? "We do other stuff."_

_"Like what?" Argeth shoved the rest of the fruit into his mouth, wiping away the orange juice from his lips. Guver scowled down at him._

_"Swing around, climb real high, beat up little annoying people like you." Guver added his answer with a question of his own:_

_"What do you do?"_

_Agreth rubbed his sticky hands on the dirt ground before rolling up into a small grey ball (something that made Guver laugh a little at the creativity and slight humor of it) and spinning around the place. It was quite remarkable how he could bounce himself around and roll up the side of walls for a few seconds, all the while not suffering a scratch._

_"Pretty cool." He said after the armadillo had stopped spinning. Argeth smirked._

_"Yeah. Pretty much."_

* * *

Sorry if it seems rushed...the last scene was written SO BADLY.

Please review!


	12. Chapter 12

Alright I'm not kidding this time when I say updates will slow down.

PLEASE REVIEW...

* * *

CHAPTER 12: RELUCTANT COOPERATION REMAINS RELUCTANT.

Clementine cringed slightly as Squint shifted again, turning his head away from her as she dabbed a exceptional stinging herb-filled paste on his gash. Luckily he was still out like a light, but she couldn't help but feel he would wake up at any moment... that would be a very awkward experience.

Sighing with her ears dropping tiredly, Clementine brushed the gash again, thinking. If Raz hadn't come in that last moment this could have been a lot harder...what had he been doing up on that branch anyway? shaking her head, the doe removed the dampened cloth and groaned under her breath. She'd have to apply stitches; there was nothing else for it. But this would surely wake him up...

Pulling down her ears and shaking her head at the heavens, Clementine pulled her needle and thread from her pack and looked over at Squint, who was rested against an ice-boulder, still fast asleep. She noticed that, oddly enough, when he wasn't squinting in his characteristic way or frowning, he looked unreasonable like a normal buck. He almost looked _calm._

Clementine snorted quietly at the word 'calm' and with this pinch of humor lifting her unease a bit she began winding the string into the needle. She breathed out slowly and began stitching up his forehead, eyes screwing up in tension as she noticed he was beginning to stir. Just as she was about to tie the end of the stitch to finish the job, Squint jerked away from her, eyes snapping open.

The needle had been removed from the string, leaving two untied ends hanging by his eye. The buck didn't seem to notice, but leaped onto his feet and bolted right in front of her.

"What was that all about, huh?" He demanded, ears standing on end. He was close to hysterics he was so furious. Clementine jumped onto her feet as well, stepped back and frowning.

"I was just fixing you head." She told him defensively, gesturing at the undone stitches. He finally noticed a string hanging by his eye and batted at it in an almost feline way.

"What the heck is...what's in my HEAD?" He asked, trying to pull them out, only succeeding in hurting himself. "Ouch!"

Clementine rolled her eyes and ventured beside him, pulling his paw away from his head.

"Just let me fix it and..."

"No Way!"

"Sit down and shut UP."

The last word echoed throughout the ocean, as loud and as furious as a wave crashing against the rock,s shattering off the sides leaving nothing but a blunt, thin side in remains. Clementine looked beyond murderous as she grabbed Squint's ear as she yelled the command. It was unreal for someone so small and slight to be so darn scary.

Squint was leaning back, face frozen in a large grimace, ears standing straight up on his head. Slowly, he let them fall and folded his arms, muttering.

"Fine then, girlie. Just get on with it."

Clementine sighed in exasperation and knelt beside him as he sat down again, arms still folded. Huh. He was sorta like Argeth when he wanted to be...

Rolling her eyes she took out her needle again. Squint's pulling and prodding at the things earlier had loosened and damaged the string, so she'd have to start all over again. It was not going to be a nice night at all for either of them...

"Ow!" Squint hissed as the needle was threaded in and out of his skin. He clenched his fists, growling under his breath. "You're doing this on purpose."

"Baby." Clementine muttered. Now that the unease had gone she was back in business, barley listening to the buck's complaints. Instead, she merely replied "Be a pirate."

Squint was silent after that, refusing to show any weakness as she continued stitching up his forehead. When she finally succeeded she backed away almost instantly as she didn't want to be anywhere near him without a good enough reason, needle and thread stored away in her pack. Squint hopped onto his feet and began prodding the scar on his head curiously, only to stop once he noticed Clementine's warning look.

"Huh. That's pretty weird...but cool." He added as Clementine's scowl deepened. She obviously wasn't in a good mood tonight. Grinning, he zipped over beside her.

"What's bothering you girlie?" He asked, snapping back into his teasing-the-other-bunny routine. Clementine groaned.

"You." She replied bluntly, looked physical drained. She turned and began sloping away.

"I'm tired. Goodbye, Squint."

"Hey! it's not that late!" He called after her with his usual squinted brow. She called back indignantly, voice n the edge o another temper snap:

"Says the guy who spent most of it sleeping! _Goodnight, _Squint!"

* * *

Clementine passed Raz a few moments later. The kangaroo was leaning against the mast lackadaisically, examining the end of her spear with only mild interest. She addressed the peeved rabbit as she went by.

"He give ya trouble?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

Raz grinned crookedly, chuckling a little. "Heard the shout. Seems like ya sorted 'im out big time." Clementine folded her arms.

"The only thing that'll sort that one out is a good kick in the-"

"Who are we gossipin' about, y'all?"

The two glanced up and spotted Maut, who had just flapping onto the branch above them, grinning. Obviously she was wide awake, despite being a fruit (thus a day) bat.

"No-one." Clementine replied curtly. "I'm going to bed..."

Muat watched her go with a slightly worried expression, one that went unnoticed by the rabbit but not by the kangaroo.

"'Ey. What's that look for?" She inquired with a raised brow. Maut shrugged.

"Nothin' much, Roo. Just that Clemmy used ta be all sweet and nice- now's she's all temper and all that."

"Hah." Raz snorted, leaning on her spear as she spoke up to the bat, a knowing grin on her face. "That's because she's on a pirate ship with a nutball."

Maut giggled quietly. "One who might like her." She added slyly. Raz's smiled vanished, replaced by a bored look.

"Nah. I don't think so."

"How would you know?"

"Cause. She'd be gettin' all embarrassed around him if she was. In Me own opinion, she just doesn't like the lil' twerp."

Maut tittered from above. "Suit yourself..."

* * *

Argeth watched silently as Clementine came into view, collapsing beside a spare log nearby, looking totally exhausted beyond belief. He had a feeling it wasn't just due to a certain annoying buck's operation.

"What's the matter with you, Squeaker?"

Clementine shrugged, rubbing uncharacteristically at an old, barely visible scar on her side. It was a souvenir of their home's destruction. He frowned.

"Your cuts alright?"

"Fine. I just don't feel well. In fact, haven't since we started sailing sea. Just not as bad..."

She was asleep before he could say anymore. Argeth turned his head and stared into the darkness of the night around them. There was something painfully familiar about this picture. Him standing nearby as the kid he kept an eye on rested nearby- only it had not been Clementine before. And he had not really been what he was today...

He looked down at his feet, musing to himself that he was a lot smaller back then, too.


	13. Chapter 13

Please review, you awesome people with your very inspiring reviews.

Things are-a-heatin' up, ladies and gents.

* * *

CHAPTER 13: WHICH WAY THE TREE TRUNK FELL.

_"Argeth! wake up, sleepy head!"_

_The sun was bright to unopened eyes, the wind just a soft summer breeze flying through the forest, free as a bird. The young armadillo being addressed brought a single paw up to his eyes in order to shade them from the morning sun, his blurry vision making out a small, similar shape._

_"Come on already! wake up!"_

_His eyes finally adjusted and he found himself lying in the burrow that made up his home, a smaller figure of the same spices sitting on his stomach, staring down at him with cheery, wide-open eyes._

_His sister leaned down untill her nose bumped against his, smile still stretched in place as if completely oblivious to her brother's annoyed glare._

_"What do you want?" He asked her. Darn it, it was too early for this..._

_"It's morning!" She replied, throwing her arms wide proudly. Argeth rolled his eyes._

_"Genius. Now, please go away..."_

_He turned over, knocking his younger sister off his stomach as he did so. She groaned in frustration and began shaking him._

_"Wake up, wake up, wake up..."_

* * *

"Wake up! Argeth, wake up!"

Argeth was pulled out of his sleepy by a different, blurred voice calling his name. He found himself back on the pirate ship, having fallen asleep standing up against the iceberg. He would've thought it was an impressive feat had he not done it often.

Clementine was shaking his shoulder roughly. When she noticed the armadillo was finally awake, she stepped back to allow him to compose himself. He shook his head, blinking his eyes.

"Wha...what is it, Squeaker?" He muttered, yawning slightly as he spoke the words. Clementine looked considerably nervous but as he was still half asleep, he didn't spot it.

"Silass was sent out to scout along the sea just a while ago." The rabbit's hushed tone brought him back into reality and he snapped awake.

"And?" He asked quietly, folding his arms and glancing around encase they'd drawn attention. They had not. The rest of their original group was working while the pirates were smirking in a knowing manner. He didn't like the look of this at all.

"He came back a few times saying that there might be something up ahead, but he didn't get too close encase he drew attention." Clementine continued, glancing about.

Argeth sussed the situation out in a second, maybe less "Lemme guess. You think he's found another ship floating around this death-trap Gutt calls an ocean."

Clementine bobbed her head up and down, paws clasped before her. Argeth groaned, placing a paw on his forehead and rubbing it to decrease the tension swelling up.

If there was some unfortunate mammals nearby, then there was a good chance that Gutt would likely want to see his new recruits in action. Watching Argeth having to hurt someone would be a delight to the ape, the armadillo was sure.

They didn't really have a choice...refusing to do as the captain said would surely result in them being tossed overboard...

"Ship Ahoy!" Gutt called abruptly from above, causing both Clementine and Argeth to jump, turn and stare up at him in alarm. Then, their eyes met with the same thought racing through their minds:

_Uh, Oh._

* * *

Squint hopped up onto the side of the ship and watched as the new members of the crew held back awkwardly, reluctantly. The original pirates were lining up along the side with him, preparing to launch the hooks to the ship's silhouette in the fog ahead.

"Mister Kureus!"

Gutt swung down quickly from the top branches, landing with a slight grunt on the side of the ship, gesturing for the elk to move forward. "Launch the hooks!"

Telling by the crooked, evil smirk on his face and the mean-spirited looks from the other members of the crew, this was a deliberate jab at their obvious soft-hearted personalities. Kurues darted a look at Argeth, whose arms were folded unbelievably tight, claws digging into the other arm: the only sign giving away his anxiety. He nodded once.

Kureus gave Gutt a disgusted look as he made his way slowly to the hooks. He stared at them hesitantly before swallowing, crewing his eyes shut and hitting his antler against the lever, launching the skull towards the ship. He moved wobbly towards the other.

Argeth growled softly from the side, glancing at Gutt with silent fury. Clementine edged nearer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and glancing over it towards the other ship, turning the armadillo's attention to it as voices coated with alarm rose up from around it. She glanced at him worriedly as he dropped his arms, looking at his feet, then to the side. She could tell he was thinking quickly.

Whatever he was pondering, however, was broken quickly buy Squint. The rabbit had watched the armoured mammal with a nasty grin, twirling his blade in his paw as he did so.

"Guess you're a big softie the, huh?" He asked, laughing. Clementine gave him a heated look, ears standing on end. Then a sudden thought came to her; One she did not like at all.

Still rooted beside the odler mammal she asked "So...you've killed animals before, Squint?"

His grin vanished, replaced by a surprised one. After a few moments of silence only broken by the launching of the next skull-hooks, Squint shrugged.

"Nah. Just beat 'im up and sent them packing into the sea. They mostly hang into like, tiny icebergs and float away. And what fun would it be if they died before they walked the plank?" He grinned at her. Maybe he had been expecting her to loosen her tight, rigid stare. When she didn't, she added.

"Well, Capitan's mostly the one who does the _gutting_ should anyone start being to feisty."

Argeth grunted in disdain. Turning to Clementine, he muttered over her shoulder quickly.

"I have a plan. Play along later. I'll be right back."

The three short sentences said, Argeth slipped away from Clementine's (and Gutt's) line of sight. She frowned, her sotmach churning. She hoped that whatever his plan was, he knew what he was doing.

She hadn't realized that Squint wasn't done talking, as he whipped over to her side and flung an arm around her shoulders, startling her.

"By gutting I mean your innards..." He prodded her in the side sharply with his dagger, and although it didn't hurt, she pushed him away furiously. "...Become your out-ards!" He removed his arm and stepped back, tilted his head laughing maniacally. Clementine shuddered at the thought of what Squint had just told her. So that's how the ape got his name...

He seemed please by her unnerved expression. "Ya look scared, girlie."

She rolled her eyes, switching back into defensive mode. "Your face looks scared, _Squintie_."

His ears shot up again at the mimicked tone and nick name_. "What?"_

Suddenly the boat lurched under their feet. Squint, being more used to the sea's sudden bumps, didn't budge from his spot as it moved. Clementine however stumbling a little.

During their odd, uncomfortable discussion, it had escaped the doe's notice that the doomed ship the pirates-_ They_, she corrected herself with unease- were targeting had been pulled alongside the vessel and had collided with it.

Squint looked back at her, flashing a crooked grin. "This is where it gets fun, girlie."

Clementine watched him speed off to join his fellow pirates at the side, all of which were getting ready for the plunder. She shook her head.

No. This was not where it gets fun...

_Argeth, whatever you're planning, get on with it! Hurry!_

* * *

_DUN DUN DUNNNNN_

_Wait I already done that. Ah well._

_REVIEW._


	14. Chapter 14

**_IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE._**

**_GUESS WHAT PEOPLE. I am so tired now you would not belief._**

**_But that's not what I came to say. I've got more stuff working now and later on I'll be editing a trail for this fic- with voice-overs and everything. Problem now is trying to get the right clips to use for Argeth...he'll have to be played by Fast Tony from ICE AGE 2 (Since they are the only armadillos in the franchise) But apart from that it's good to go. I'll post the link on my profile when it's done._**

**_I'm going to style the video after one of the Ice Age trailers, using 'Why can't we be friends' an all. _**

**_Please review. Updates will surely slow down this week. SERIOUSLY._**

**_Oh and BTW, remember how I was going to call this 'pirates, misfits and survivors?" well, Those other characters are for another story (maybe, if the idea goes any further) but I decided to give the characters a little cameo._**

* * *

CHAPTER 14: MUTINY IN THE MAKING.

The animals on the boat stared up at the pirate's ship with awe and terror mixed on their inexperienced faces. By the looks of things they hadn't been on the sea for very long; Some on them still had dirt present on their fur.

The group of animal misfits was made up of four mammals, all of which were average in size and none very powerful. The boldest of the bunch was a young adolescence possum (ironically) who was glaring up at the ship defiantly, tiny paws clenched. Standing beside him nervously was a molehog of the same age. In fact, all of them were relatively young.

Coincidentally, perched like a bird on the tree embedded in the ice-boat, on the tallest branch was a young ape of Gutt's species. He was the only one present on the boat who wasn't shaking with fear. Sat on his shoulder was yet another primate; A lemur glancing between the larger lad and the pirate ship opposite them with mild annoyance mixed in with his terror. The ape was grinning down at the lemur on his shoulder, strangely enough. The lemur was doing his best to ignore him.

"Well, well, well!" All four youngsters looked up curiously at the large figure addressing them. With growing unease they watched as the edge of the ship before them became occupied by scruffy, sea-battered animals, all wearing sharp grins and wielding some form of weapon.

"Looks like we got ourselves a bunch of misfits with bounty, boys!" The pirate crew below growled in response to this statement.

Gutt landed on a branch extending out from the ship, leaning on his fish-bone sword as he survived their boat. There was obvious piles of food gathered in the center of the ship across from the. Gutt scratched his beard-like fur almost thoughtfully, grinning a little. They'd deliberately left somewhere, not in a hurry judging by the preparation they'd taken into crafting this boat- it was almost like the pirate ship, using weights to change its course. Pushing that thought aside he continued.

"So, any of you dealt with pirates before?" He let mockery line his tone as the pirates behind him cackled. The possums boy clenched his tiny fists even tighter.

"No- and we don't intend on it either!" He called up defensively. The molehog nearby nodded less confidently.

The ape kid above turned to the lemur on his shoulder and muttered with a misrk: "I told you it was pirates." The lemur groaned in repsonse, folding a pair of skinny arms.

"Fine, ya win tha' bet, Cocoum. Jeez, whaddaya want, a medal?"

"Guys, not now!" The molehog below called up to them. Gutt regarded the small crew with humor. This was going to be _far _too easy.

As the threatening conversation went on, neither the pirates nor the misfits noticed a grey, armored mammal climbing down the side of the ship between the two ice vessels.

* * *

"I shoulda brought a better knife with me..."

Argeth grumbled to himself furiously as he ventures along the side of the ship, hidden from sight completely. He'd have to be quick with this; Gutt wasn't going to let him sneak away and avoid the inevitable confrontation for long. The ape was obviously looking forward to seeing him have to hurt one of those poor wretches on the ship across from them.

The boat wasn't really long, but had proved to be almost as tall as the pirate ship. This was seen as an accomplishment by Captain Gutt, who was taunting the terrified, uneasy mammals aboard the same way he had done with the previous plunder.

Since the vines had been drawn in completely now, they hung loosely between the ships.

He was hanging from a tiny crack at the side of the ice-ship, dangling precariously over the ice-cold waters below. Glancing up to make sure the others were too busy mocking a certain elk (something he had no problem with for the moment) he pulled out a knife with his other paw and began rubbing it carefully against the vines attaching their boats together.

The aim wasn't to cut them; that would send him and his group down Death Row faster than you could say _"Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum" _not to mention the fact that it would be painfully obvious. He was only thinning the vine; Keeping it intact but very vulnerable. Too much strain would allow it to snap and detach the boats when the time was right.

It wasn't easy, though; the vines were more robust and thicker in structure. It would take longer than he'd expected...

* * *

the rabbit didn't like the situation going on between them at all. As Gutt swung down to address the young 'misfits' across from them (who she pitied greatly for their misfortune...)

She tried not to listen to what was going on, and instead tried to locate Agreth.

Clementine wandered to the side of the ship, her eyes following the aforementioned lines across the gap between the ships. By the looks of it there wouldn't be any advantage for them in this situation. She glanced down, sighing, ready to try and direct her attention away from the horror clearly about to happen when she noticed an all-too familiar armadillo hanging off the side of the ship.

Her jaw dropped open as Argeth noticed her, shaking his head and using the edge of his blade to mimic placing a figure of his lips, signalling at her remain silent. Clementine saw that two of the vines had been partly cut through, leaving just a few threads keeping them stable. She understood what he was doing instantly and nodded down at him.

Clementine turned around and began backing away, trying to figure out a good way of keeper the crew from looking down when Squint materialized beside her, making sure to yell a single phrase to make her jump.

"Boo!"

Clementine leaped away from him, glaring furiously. Brilliant, now he was over here_. Argeth, hurry up and get back up here..._

"Watcha looking at?" he asked, looking over her shoulder, her mortified look going unnoticed. He coughed slightly, moving ever-so-slightly to block his vision from the side of the boat encase he decided to look over. "N-nothing..."

The buck rose a brow in a lop-sided fashion. Then he grinned slyly. "Reaaaallly?"

Clementine sighed, dropping her stiff stature. "Yes, nothing. Now please...don't you have someone to throw knives at?" She really shouldn't have asked that, fort he second the sentence left her throat Squint grinned wickedly. Oh, no.

He pulled out a star seashell and hurtled it between her ears, missing her deliberately. Clementine gasped, instantly ducking and moving away without thinking. Squint slid over to the side and looked over with only mild curiosity. Clementine looked as well, finding that Argeth had made a quick get-away after all.

She held back a sigh of relief. If Squint had thrown that star fish at her any sooner...wait.

Hold it. Did he just throw star-fish at her? He ears bent back in indignant as he turned away from the side, shrugging. Kneeling down, she scooped up the discarded star-fish shaped shell and hurtled it towards him. Squint had glanced at her just in time to see it coming, and promptly ducked. Behind him, Clementine spotted a familiar grey ball rolling along the ridge of the ship. She had to keep his attention away from it.

She still couldn't believe they this situation was taking place during Gutt's conversation with the other boat's crew...

Squint jumped into a defensive posture, knife at the ready, nose once again twitching hysterically. Clementine began giggling before she could spot herself. This would surely get him...

"Aw, your lil' _bunny nose_ wiggles in the most adorable way when you're angry!" She crooned mockingly, hands held around her stomach with laughter. Squint's posture became rigid and he froze, ears twitching madly.

"What...did...you!" He looked as he was about to lunge into a murderous frenzy when Raz promptly stepped on him.

"Whoops. Didn't see ya there." Clementine knew she should have felt more guilty for going against Raz like this. she was her friend after all. But she couldn't force them to hurt people, could she? Clementine tried to keep that thought firm as she presented the kangaroo with a lopsided, forced smile. Raz noticed it instantly as Argeth came strolling into view, obviously acting as if he'd never left.

"What's that look fer, Small fry?" Raz asked, leaning on her spear with a frown. Clementine glanced nervously at the boat. Raz smiled.

"We're about to board once Captain's stopped playing around with 'em. Take it you ain't coming?"

Clementine shook her head quickly. Rolling her eyes at her soft-hearted friend, Raz approached the side of the ship with the other pirates as Gutt climbed up to the highest branch of the mast, looking furious. Obviously they had missed some sort of insult from one of the young misfits across form them, as Gutt began roaring down at them:

"Battle stations!"

* * *

_I'm so ti-hi-ired!_

_*DROPS HEAD ONT KEYBOARD*_

_ReVIeW..._


	15. Chapter 15

HUGE CHAPTER.

At least compared to the others. Please review.

* * *

CHAPTER 15: VINES SNAP, TENSION INTACT.

Argeth ducked as Raz threw a whole bunch of different, fish-bone weapons into the arms of all the crew members who had paws able to grab them. Clementine made sure to stay meters away from the group, fiddling with her hands nervously as Argeth tried to move away from the crew about to attack.

But Gutt was having none of it. The ape swung over and landed right in front of the slightly startled armadillo, giving him a hard shove n the chest back to the edge of the ship. During this time Raz and the pig-like creature were reading the cannons and Gupta was climbing the mast and attaching himself to the top by his teeth, giving the appearance of a flag.

"Where'd you think you're going, _mate_?" Gutt was grinning in a malicious, triumphant way- but a threat wormed it's way into his harsh tones. Argeth folded his arms defiantly.

"I'm not going on that ship, Gutt." He glanced at the others, Maut, Glett and Kurues, who were also hanging back looking reluctant. Before he could make eye contact with any of them he found himself whipped of his feet and hanging in the air, Gutt's clawed hand tight around his throat. He could hear Clementine gasp and run forward, but she was stopped by a cackling Squint who held the tip of his blade right under her throat, looking over his shoulder as both rabbits watched the scene.

"You'll do as I say." Gut growled, jostling him in the air just enough to send a wave of pain through his throat "Or you and your party of land lubbers will die._ Painfully_."

The grip around his neck tightened, and Argeth gasped for breath. But he didn't yield just yet.

"They're..j-just..kids, Guver..."

It was just loud enough for him to hear. Gutt shrugged carelessly, large grin still in place.

"So we'll go easy on 'em. Ha." He dropped Argeth and turned away towards the cannons. "Whatever our definition of 'easy' is." Letting off a gruff chuckled, Gutt aimed the first cannon himself.

"FIRE!"

On the other ship, the possum boy saw the ice-bolder coming right for them and shrieked at the top of his lungs.

"MOVE!"

He and his molehog friend dived to the side, though the bolder wasn't aimed directly at them. It collided with the side of their narrow boat, jolting it to the side. Above, the ape's feet slipped from under him and he almost plummeted to his death. Thankfully he managed to grasp the branch above him and dangling from one arm, glancing around madly. Down below the possum called up to him frantically.

"Cocoum! Lee! come down!" His sentence was answered by another cannon fire, one that collided with the mast. Cocoum and Lee swung down from it, fearing that it would fall over- but it remained intact, remarkably enough.

Suddenly a loud thudding noise brought the four misfit's attention to the other side of the ship, where the kangaroo, seal and squint-eyed rabbit were now stationed.

"Holy crab!" The molehog yelped, throwing his arms around the possum in terror. He choked slightly. The ape drew back, all the smaller creatures aside from the possum jumping behind him for protecting. The possums stood beside him, head lowered and eyes narrowed. Cocoum barred his teeth, scowling at them.

"Hello!" The seal called over to them, waving a fin happily. The kangaroo rolled her eyes and aimed her spear at them. The ape boy straightened up slightly from his knuckle-walk pose, ready to move should it be necessary.

"Let's see what ye got then, lil' ankle biters!" The molehod peeked around the ape's side, muttering her last words over as if wondering what they meant.

Suddenly a tiger leaped onto the side of the pirate ship, as if waiting for something. They soon found out why.

Gutt leaned against the cannon on his ship, looking over the young group's almost trapped position.

"Well, it looks like you're in a tight spot, lads. How about this..." He swung on top of the cannon so they could see him better. The younger ape below glared at him sourly, the possum doing the same.

"You surrender your little ship, or face my_ fury_."

The last word was stressed for effect, and it seemed to work as the smaller mammals edged closer behind the possum and ape. The possum's eyes widened slightly and he glanced at the ape kid beside him, who was raising an eyebrow.

"Really?" He asked bluntly with an unconvinced, unimpressed look. Seemingly motivated by his comrade's bravery (or bluntness) the possum stepped forward, pointing a furious finger.

"You're not taking any of our stuff!" He told the ape above "It's ours! back off!"

"Ya hear that, losers?" The lemur shouted, hopping onto the ground in front of both his friends "Go find your own!"

Gutt shrugged. "Have it your way then, lads." He looked over at Shira, grinning darkly.

"Give the order, first mate."

"Aye, sir." Shira turned her head and called out to the crew below.

"Attack!"

Argeth stood by her side reluctantly, holding a dagger in his paw tightly. The pirates below shouted their usual _'argh'_ and lunged forward. The youngster scattered- but the ape kid kicked Squint out-of-the-way easily and pulled one of his daggers away from him, jumping into a battle stance. The possum held a long pole in his hand and began battling with the rabbit. The molehog and lemur ran for cover as the other two did their best to hold out against the pirates. They looked like they were doing a okay job if you counted dodging as a good strategy.

"Hey, runt!" Gutt called over to the armadillo. "Get on down there, already!"

Argeth growled in response. "Aye, aye, Captain." He spotted Clementine beside him. Holding onto a vine and ready to swoop down, he whispered to her as Gutt turned his attention away from them.

"We have to get their ship to float away! And the only way we can do that is to get it to move!"

Clementine looked around frantically. "How?!"

Argeth gestured silently over at the cannons. "Hit the sides- not too hard. It'll move it away. I'll use the bolder on the other ship to get it to lean away. Get Kureus and Glett to help you- find a way to keep the others distracted."

Argeth swung between the ships without another word nor any preparation, as if he'd done it before many times.

Clementine blinked at Shira, who was about to leap over. She hadn't heard, thankfully...

She rushed over to her friends to explain the plan.

Down below, Argeth landed right beside the young ape, who whirled around and instantly began fight ing him. Their weapons slamming together, Argeth made sure that they moved away from the other pirates, who were clearing playing around with the other youngsters. They weren't hurting them, just scaring them by jabbing their weapons towards them.

"I didn't think I'd see an armor guy here." The young ape told him through a grunt of effort. Argeth frowned.

"I don't want to do this, kid. I'm sorta being blackmailed." He ducked sharply as the kid poked the sword at him. Even though he was an ape, he was about half of Gutt's size, so Argeth could handle him easily.

"Oh really?" Cocoum gave him a disbelieving look. Argeth growled and their weapons locked together, each trying to pry the other's weapon from their paws.

"Yeah. My friends are up there." He glanced up at the ship, but didn't see them. The ape kid rose a brow.

"Well then, How about you and us against the pirates?" He hissed under his breath. Aregth's eyes widened slightly. He honestly hadn't thought of that...

* * *

Shira spotted Clementine, Kureus and Glett hovering by the cannons beside the mute boar, Dobson. Her eyes narrowed in raw suspicion.

"What are you doing?" She asked sharply as she made her way over. Clementine jumped around to face her, looking nervous. Kureus answered for her.

"Just helping out with the cannons...you know..." He shrugged, as if trying to ease the tension. The saber wasn't convinced and rose a brow.

"Really? a bunch of softies like you?" Clementine folded her arms sourly. Maut leaped onto the rabbit's shoulder defensively.

"Yeah, that's right, saber. We don't want y'all killin' us too, now do we?" She gave the saber a challenging look. Shira considered it.

"I'm watching you." She advised them as she moved away towards Gutt. Clementine didn't like the idea of her telling Gutt what they were doing- whether she knew what it really was or not.

Suddenly a 'SNAP' came from below, startling the bunch. Clementine's ears dropped. Oh, no.

_Don't tell me they've snapped early..._

Running to the side of the ship she found to her great relief that it wasn't. The snap appeared to have come from Raz's spear, which had just become two useless sticks. Argeth was battling with the small ape still, and Raz looked furiously at the possum hanging from the mast branches. He was holding what looked like a bunch of tiny sling-shots, that had wrapped around her spear and snapped it easily.

Gutt growled. Clearly these kids were going to be a lot more trouble than he thought and, as he saw the younger ape shove Argeth away and swipe at Squint, he decided that he should take them down himself just to show them who was boss.

Argeth had plotted with the younger ape quickly. Instead of helping the kids escape, he was going to make sure they took him and his friends with them. They had enough supplies...and from what the kid said, land wasn't too far away. Though why the kid didn't want to be on that land was beyond him.

Abruptly Gutt landed on the ship, having swung down from a nearby vine. The youngsters trying to avoid the pirates saw him with horrified gasps, as he was bigger than the others (aside from Flynn, but it was clear to them that he was very stupid and thus not a much of a threat if you avoided his belly-flops.)

Gutt had a long, jagged sword in hand and swiped at the smaller ape, who was clearly about to attack one of the others. Cocoum yelped sharply and ducked, his own blade held us to parry any other blow.

"Hah!" Gutt swiped at him again, their weapons clashing as they moved about, him trying to attack the other as he dodged away "Not bad for a half-sized land lubber!"

"I'll show you land-lubber, old man!" The smaller ape retorted, jumping onto the side of the mast so he had a better advantage in height. Gutt laughed gruffly, stabbing at him again.

"Well then, kiddo, let's see what you have!" Gutt's attacks became more forced and it became clear that he had gone easy on Cocoum before. As the apes battled it out, Agreth to the chance to climb back up onto the pirate ship as quick as he possibly could.

"Guys..." He gasped as he found the others loading the cannons. "I got us a way out of here...we need to get the pirates back onto this ship, and us on the other ship!"

Something flashed behind Clementine's eyes. "Of course! we can all get away!"

"Yes!" Kureus exclaimed as Muat and Glett smiled in agreement. Argeth looked over at the ship, Cocoum and Gutt still fighting it out.

Argeth turned to the others quickly. "Right- Clementine and Kureus will fire the cannon, Glett, you need to get onto the boat. Ignore any questions the pirates give you for now. Once the boat starts floating away, Me, Kureus and Clem will jump into the sea and grab onto the ropes."

"Once the other boat's further away, the vines will strain and snap. We'll get the kids to pull us over, get us on and..."

He threw an arm wide for effect. "Ta-da! we're outa here."

"I'm in." Maut advised the others bluntly.

* * *

Kocoum dodged another attack quickly, yelling. "Nice stab, beardy! ouch!"

He found he was flying backwards, landing on his side as the result of a swift kick to the stomach. His friends called out in distress at his position as Gutt pointed the edge of his weapon directly under his chin. He swallowed.

"Sorry, kiddo, but I'm getting bored." Gutt told him, pointed the blade ever-so-slightly closer. Cocoum spotted something out of the corner of his eye; Something green and shell-like swinging by the teeth over the gap between the boats. He rose a brow.

"What...the..."

BONK.

Glett slammed into Gutt's side, making him lose his balance. The shell-based creature landed on his back, wiggling his legs much like a turtle.

Raz came forward, kicking him furiously. "What are ye doing, ye dummy?"

"I guess he wanted to help..." Argeth said, having rolled back on the ship unnoticed by the others. He grinned at Gutt, who was still shaking his head from the blow.

Suddenly a canon-fire brought all of their attention to the pirate ship, which was now firing at the side of the smaller boat.

Gutt growled. "Boys, back on the ship! Mister Flynn, take the bounty!"

Argeth saw Cocoum move forward to protest, so he moved his blade in front of him, blocking his path. He shook his head and muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

"Play along..."

Flynn grabbed the large bowl of fruit and, seeing Raz climb up onto the other ship, threw it up towards her. Amazingly most of the fruit stayed where it was, most of it staying the bowl and the others being caught by a helpful-looking Clementine.

Gutt swung back onto his own boat, the rest of the pirates following. He turned to the former group of survivors near the cannons as Squint and Flynn climbed back onto the boat.

"Bring their ship down!" He commanded roughly. The young mammals gasped in horror, but Cocoum relaxed slightly upon seeing Argeth give him a hidden grin.

"We got this. My friends are in charge of the cannons."

Then the armored mammal rushed over to the side, returning to the pirate ship as the cannon fired. The shot was less forceful as it was Kurues bucking the boulders through the logs rather than Raz; And the boulders hit the side of the ship at an odd angle, one that tipped it away from the pirate's ice boat.

This went unnoticed at first, and the silent boar continued helping the elk without suspicion as the pirates laughed nastily.

Squint whipped beside a fidgeting Clementine as she placed the last fruit on the side.

"Not bad girlie." He said, though a mean grin was still in place. She turned away from him, feeling terrible for taking part in the whole thing even though it was part of the plan.

Squint noticed her look and moved around to face her again, leaning his head to try to catch her eye. "Hey, whats up with you?"

"Nothing Squint." She sighed, rubbing her head. "Just not as used to the sea..."

BANG.

The ships were getting further and further away from each other, and Argeth was examining the gab. _Now..._

"Kureus!" He called instantly, pointing to the other ship. "Jump, now!"

Kureus nodded and to the great surprise of the pirates, leaped over the gab to join Glett, who had been left with the youngsters, which had remained unknown to the others. Maut laughed and flew over, calling over her shoulder:

"Suckers!"

The pirate's mouths dropped open and they could only stare in utter shock as Argeth and Clementine rushed over to the side. Down below the youngsters were laughing at them, holding up a pile of fruit in a clam shell. Apparently they had hidden more food behind a large piece of ice at the end of their ship.

Gutt growled furiously, pointing at Shira.

"Shira! Fetch!"

"Aye, Aye, Captain."

Agreth's path was blocked by the saber, who hissed at him threateningly. He pulled out his dagger and got into a fighting stance. The vines were juts beginning to strain, and the kids and survivors below saw this with horror.

"Hurry!" The possum yelled, running forward to the edge of their iceberg. Cocoum followed.

Argeth swiped at Shira once, making her blink before rolling into a ball and speeding under her towards the side. Clementine hopped around and was about to jump off the side when Squint grabbed her by the ear and jerked her back, arm around her neck so she was held tight against his chest with a dagger at her throat.

"I knew you were a traitor!" He claimed furiously. Clementine have a sharp cry, alerting Argeth of what had happened.

Skidding to a halt the armadillo sped back, only to be hit ruthlessly by Gutt in the head. He collapsed, eyes screwed shut. The crew on the other boat gasped.

The possum boy, obviously trying to help but failing, jumped onto the fragile vines above and began running along them towards the ship. Cocoum looked ready to try and followed him when Raz fired another boulder, this one with more force than usual.

The blow took a large piece of ice off the ship, knocking Cocoum off the side and sending the possum boy hurtling into the sea with him as the vines finally snapped.

"Mister Flynn!" Gut growled, staring darkly down the beaten armadillo with loathing. "Go and get the two misfits out of the water and bring 'em here."

Flynn laughed in an oblivious way and dived into the water, approaching the frantic misfits and using his tail fin to flip them into the air.

The ape and possum landed harshly on the deck, coughing as Raz and the other pirates surrounded them with weapons. Clementine, still trapped in Squint's hold, began crying softly.

Gutt grabbed Argeth by the throat and lifted him into the air again, the half-conscious armadillo coughing harshly.

"You are going to wish you were never born." The ape hissed before throwing him away, sending him sprawling on the ground nearby, prompting another distressed cry from Clementine.

"Argeth, _No!"_

Argeth shifted, leaning on his elbow and coughing. Cocoum and the possum looked around in alarm at the sharp objects pointing at them as the other other boat drifted away, Kureus called out over the waters, voice almost lost on the wind

"We'll find you! We promise, no matter what,_ we'll find you!"_

* * *

Link for the trailer is in my profile- edited by Sony Vegus. If ya don't watch it, no more chapters!

Lol, kidding. But I'd like it if people looked at the vid I made for it.

Sorry...There may be lots of spelling/grammar mistakes.

Woo a big long chapter before I take a break...

PLEASE REVIEW, PLEASE...


	16. Chapter 16

AUTHOR'S NOTE- DO NOT SKIP.

For those who missed the last post, I finally got the edited trailer of this fic up on you tube I actually found a good character to play as Clementine in at as well as Maut and Argeth. It turned out pretty good- so please, go and take a look. The link is on my profile.

If you don't have a you-tube account, please leave a comment in your next review. Thanks.

Please review!

* * *

CHAPTER 16: THINNER PATH THAN ICE.

Cocoum and his possum friend were tied up on the mast, much like Clementine had found herself at least two weeks ago...time sure flew when living among pirates. Squint still held her tight, dagger still just touching her neck- but she was beyond caring about that now. She was shaking with worry as she stared over at a certain armadillo, his forehead bleeding slightly due to the blow dealt on his head.

Gutt had been waiting for him to regain his senses and had ordered the younger ape and his possum comrade to be strapped to the mast, one the pair protested to greatly.

"Whaddaya want?" The young ape asked finally as Argeth just managed to get up onto his knees, holding his head in one hand and glaring sourly over at the Captain in question.

"Shut up, kiddo." Gutt answered curtly as he made his way over to Argeth, looking utterly murderous. Clementine squeaked, attempting to struggle away from her captor, but Squint held fast.

Argeth flinched, recoiling as Gutt's sharp claws were shot out towards him, stopping only an inch away from his neck. His eyes were wide and dilated, face set in a grmace. The crew cackled at him in a mean-spirited way as Gutt smirked darkly.

"I could slice you open right now." The blade touched his neck, but didn't pierce it. Argeth narrowed his eyes, holding his breath.

"But...you're too much of an asset right now to kill off. Maybe you'll stay alive a little longer." Gutt shrugged and dropped his large hand away, and just as Argeth has about to breath out, he clenched it tight and swiped at the unsuspecting armadillo. Argeth's eyes shot wide as he hurtled across the deck, slamming into the mast beside the startled youngsters.

"So...you got rid of the dead weights for us. Well done. But since you lost us our bounty, you and your lil' friends lives are going to be harder than they ever were."

As Gutt informed the injured armadillo of this fact, he began climbing back up the mast. The ape wasn't worried about the elk's promise to find them. They had no way of finding them in the sea even if they could navigate their boat.

"Shira, have the armadillo tied up at the end of the sip and left there without food for a while. Maybe It'll teach him some loyalty." He grinned at the thought of this. As Shira gave the order, Raz asked loudly:

"What about the brats?"

It seemed Gutt had nearly forgotten about them. As Argeth was dragged away from Clementine's line of sight (something she found very upsetting and began trembling again) all attention turned to the two youngsters strapped to the mast.

"Thanks for noticing us." Cocoum remarked bluntly.

"Cocoum, sh!" The possom muttered. As he said this Gutt moved towards them, looking very smug.

"I guess we caught the boldest of you sorry bunch." He said as the possum frowned.

"And you are?" Cocoum inquired curtly, a dark eyebrow raised and green eyes narrowed.

"Name's Captian Gutt, kiddo." The older ape replied rather proudly. Cocoum snorted a little.

"Captian...Gutt." He repeated. He grinned. "Yeah, I got guts, too, but I wouldn't call myself one."

Gutt actually laughed, ruffling the younger ape's head hair patronizingly. "That's funny You're a funny kid. But that's not why I call myself that."

He gripped the kids head tightly, brandishing his claws centimeters away from his eyes. Cocoum froze, eyes wide. He gulped, laughing nervously as the possum beside him almost fainted.

"Heheh... Sharp..." He muttered, before clearing his throat and adding. "So you gut people?"

"Smart, kiddo. Maybe ya won't die after all." Gutt once again ruffled his hair mockingly, earning him another glare.

"Hey, hands off!" He bucked Gutt away, who turned and shrugged at his chuckling crew.

"Anyway. Since it looks like you've got no ship or crew, I just might be able to offer you lads a deal." Clementine's eyes narrowed at the familiarity of the situation. Did Gutt always recruit from the crew of his victories? She up glanced at Squint and wondered how he and he others got here...

"Umm..." the possum muttered, glancing at his ape friend. He looked back at him, shrugging the best he could in his tied-up position.

"I'm guessin' we die If we don't?" Cocoum asked as he glanced around the place, mostly at the weapons distributed all over the place. Gutt snorted.

"Give the lad a medal."

The crew burst out laughing as Cocoum scowled, making sure to glare at each and every one of them before his eyes met a very shaken Clementine's.

She wasn't sure what he next move should be, and she have no idea what was going to happen to her and Argeth, but one thing she did know was that they were going to live a little longer. Maybe the kids would help them get away from here, if there was any way of doing so. But to do that, they needed to be alive. So, Clementine gave him the slightest, most undetectable nod she could managed with a knife pointed at her throat.

_And...I don't really want to see you two die. You were coming back to help us, after all..._

Cocoum growled lowly. "Fine. We'll join you. Okay?"

The possum's mouth dropped open.

"Well then, Kiddo, I hope you and you friend there prove as useful as you look. If not, then you'll know what it's like to meet a shark." Gutt waved a paw at Shira, who caught his order almost instinctively. She wandered over to them and whipped out her claws (and action that made the possum gasp) and sliced the ropes keeping them attached to the sail. Cocoum landed on his feet, stumbling a little as his friend flopped on the ground, face down.

"Ouch."

"Not as 'ouch' as we coulda been, Klue."

"Mister Squint!"

Attention turned to the two rabbits, the buck turning his head to the Captain.

"Aye sir?"

"Keep an eye on the runt. Make sure she doesn't do anything funny. And keep her away from the armadillo for a while."

Clementine didn't like the idea of having Squint keeping an eye on her, and squeaked slightly in response to this order. Squint seemed completely at ease with the situation, though.

"Cool with me, Captian." He exclaimed loudly while sending her a nasty grin. Clementine looked away from him and tried to look around for Argeth. Wherever he was, he was hurt and without food. Not a good combination.

As Raz (who sent Clementine an angry look, obviously feeling betrayed) was informed to keep an eye on the two boys and get them to do something of use and the rest of the crew began doing their own thing, Clementine saw the hopelessness of the situation.

Squint was about to make a teasing remark when something wet hit his shoulder. He looked down curiously and found Clementine was crying; not like the sobs before, but shedding tears that fell harder than the last ones. His ears dropped instantly, and his smile vanished.

Why did he feel so bad all of sudden? had she hit him in the stomach? No, wait, there was a knife at her throat...

Slowly, he brought the blade away as if testing a reaction. The one he got was Clementine tearing away from his arms and running off. He called after her angrily, since he was supposed to keep an eye on her, but she didn't stop. She'd run somewhere on the other side of the boat... probably to find that armadillo that she wasn't meant to talk to.

_Better go find her, then._

"Aw, dude, you made her cry!

Groaning to himself, Squint stormed off to find Clementine feeling an odd, heavy feeling in his chest that he hated more than Gupta's remark.

* * *

Lol, Cocoum has the same sort of name as that guy in Pocahontas.

Please review and check out the trailer!


	17. Chapter 17

Please review..

* * *

CHAPTER 17: ODDLY ENOUGH.

Clementine hadn't been able to get anywhere near Argeth.

The injured armadillo had been tied extra tight on a short drunk embedded at the end of the ship, stuck in a sitting position that didn't look comfortable at all. His head bore a bad bruise and he looked dazed. Clementine was ready to dart over to him, but was stopped by a very frightening saber. Shira had leaped in front of the fair-furred rabbit, startling her and giving her a dangerous, warning look. No words had been needed.

Clementine reluctantly wandered around edge of the ship, trying to keep away from the rest of the crew, tears still falling silently. She especially didn't want to confront Raz; the angry, betrayed look she'd been given from the kangaroo clearly pointed to a strain in their perhaps no longer existing friendship.

Needless to say this didn't help Clementine in the slightest. Wiping her stinging eyes, she hid herself behind a small block of ice away from the rest of the animals, head hidden in her knees as she sat down.

She didn't know how long she'd been there when she heard someone trotting along towards her. Someone with familiar, quick feet.

"There you are, girlie. I've been looking all over for ya."

Squint glared down at the other rabbit, head still buried in her knees. She didn't respond. The bucks anger flared a little and he began prodding her in the head with his paw to get her attention whether she liked it or not.

WHat he got instead was a soft whimper and her turning away from him, head still hidden. Her shoulders were shaking slightly with all the crying she was doing.

Squint honestly didn't know what to do in this situation and stood beside her awkwardly, rubbing his arm. The heavy feelign in his chest seemed to get worse every second.

"Um...could you stop now?" He asked quickly, rubbing the back of his neck now. No response.

He groaned and sat down beside her, glaring at him toes silently. He had no idea how to comfort someone, let alone someone who right now was supposed to be his enemy. And the idea of him comforting someone...was just plain sappy.

He face-palmed quietly, trying to figure out what to do. Then, he looked over at the still-sobbing doe beside him.

Slowly, ever-so-slowly, he reached his arm around her shoulders and let it rest there gently. He expected her to jump out of her sobbing state and perhaps slap him like she did ages ago, but she didn't. She barley acknowledged it, in fact.

So, Squint edged closer so he was sitting right beside her, feeling very awkward. Then something completely unexpected happened.

Clementine was so upset that in this situation, comfort was welcomed instantly no matter who is was given by. She was glad for it. Even if it were Squint. Later she'd probably look back and think herself an idiot, but at this moment the thought didn't pass her mind.

She threw her arms around his shoulders, sobbing. Squint stiffened immediately, heart beating unusually fast and ears standing on end, arms rooted to his side. Clementine's head rested against his cheek softly, her eyes screwed shut as she wept.

Slowly, hid rigid posture melted away and he wrapped his arms around her doubtfully. He didn't know why, but he was glad she'd hugged him. He'd probably gag later, but for now it made the heavy feeling in his chest lift, and that alone made him feel more at ease.

* * *

Argeth wasn't sure is he was conscious or not. The place around him, wherever he was, was blurry and his vision was blocked. He could make out a few, mumbling voices, but none of which he recognized.

Until he heard his own voice echoing through his head, a voice that belonged to him many years ago.

_"Lily, I told you, you can't come with me!"_

_"Aw, Argie!"_

_"No! it's too dangerous. And if you tell Ma, I'll be really mad, okay?"_

_Argeth tried to get his younger sister to stay in the cave that early summer's day. The adolescence armadillo had woken up early to sneak off before his mother noticed, but unfortunately his little sister had woken up, too._

_"You always go to that can-yon place with Guver. Ma says it's dangerous there, you know." Her voice was curious but questioning, Argeth rolled his eyes and lied quickly._

_"Only if you don't know how to handle it. You could get hurt there. And me and Guver know the place, so just stay here, will you?"_

_Lily groaned, turning and wandering back into the cave reluctantly. "Fiiiiine..."_

_Throwing up his arms in exasperation, Argeth turned and made his way through the trees to find Guver._

_He found him sitting behind a long rock, shielding him from the sight of a pack of sabers. The canyon walls were turning reddish brown in the early morning sun, the saber pack lounging around without a care._

_Guver smirked. The whole aim of this continuous game was to change that very fact. Argeth rolled up to him as a small grey ball, sitting beside him as he said:_

_"Were've you been?"_

_"My sister woke up and followed me." Argeth whispered irritably, "Had to get rid of her first."_

_Guver frowned slightly. "Do you think she'll tell your mom?"_

_Argeth shook his head. "Nah. I made sure." He turned his attention to the sabers, both boys looking over the rock, so only their eyes were visible (and Guver's odd pirate-hat head-fur)_

_"So, are ya ready?" Argeth muttered, grin already in place. Guver's smirk widening._

_"As ever, kid. What are we waiting for?"_

_The saber's early morning lounge was interrupted by a show of rocks. They shook their heads dizzily as the small stones hit their heads, and most of them yelped or growled in alarm._

_they looked over their shoulders to find the source of the attack; and it turned out to be a familiar duo made up of an ape and an armadillo, both standing up on a rock grinning like there was no tomorrow._

_Well, they probably knew there wouldn't be a tomorrow fort hem if they hung around any longer, so the boys instantly ran off as soon as the sabers spotted them, laughing loudly as they went. _

_They roared furiously and raced after them._

_"Why do we do this anyway?" Argeth asked loudly as they ran. Guver burst out laughing again, shaking his head._

_"I have no idea...haha!"_

What a weird memory to pop up, now of all times, Argeth thought as his consciousness began fading completely. At least it was a happy one...

* * *

Please review, you awesome motivators. AND GUESS WHAT I FINALLY UPLOAD FOR 'CAVE PAINTINGS'

I'm on a roll!


	18. Chapter 18

*Rolls around*

YEAH. STILL ON A ROLE.

*Slams into wall*

Ow. Okay, role is over. Less frequent updates in inevitable.

Please Review.

Cutesieness and angst ahoy!

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CHAPTER 18: TAKE THE BLAME, IGNITE THE FLAME.

Clementine was very silent later on, staring at her feet with no expression. Squint sat beside her, watching her face encase of any change in expression. There was none.

Clicking his tongue and trying to ease the awkwardly thick silence, he said:

"Sooooo...Watcha upset about?" His eyes widened questioningly, one ear tipped to the side. He waited, watching. Clementine didn't respond, just stared at her feet.

He was about to give up when the doe finally spoke.

"It's just...everything." She said, shrugging slightly. Squint obviously didn't understand, but answered anyway.

"Um. Okay."

Clementine sighed, fiddling with her fingers slowly. "I mean, everything that's happened. Getting forced into a crew...getting separated from the others...being threatened...Argeth getting hurt." Her voiced cracked on the last note, and for a moment Squint thought she was going to start crying again. But she didn't. Instead, the pale-pelted rabbit closed her eyes and lowered her head.

"I'm not the strongest person, but I never thought I'd just give up like this. But as much as I hate to admit it...there's no way that me and Argeth are going to find the others again."

Squint honestly didn't have a problem with her staying her- it was NOT because he wanted her to stay. Who would he pick on? it would be so boring around here without her...

Squint hit himself on the head silently. That sounded far too sappy for its own good. Fortunately this display of self-scorning went unnoticed by Clementine, who proceeded to sigh once again.

"Well..." He searched his mind in order to find something that would cheer her up.

"Ya got me-Uh, I mean, the crew. And that armadillo friend of yours is still here. Things could be worse." He waited for the reaction, hoping his slip of the tongue hadn't been heard. Clementine wasn't cheered. Though she still looked mournful, she nodded.

"Yeah...you pointed a blade at my throat."

Squint stiffened upon seeing a flash of anger enter her eyes. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Y-yeah...But I wasn't gonna hurt ya, honest."

Clementine looked away from him, frowning deeply.

Squint groaned a little. This was _not_ working. He glanced at the side, and then looked over his shoulder at a bowl of fruit that had been left on top of the ice boulder. He grinned.

Standing on his large feet, the buck reached up and plucked a piece of fruit from the top and sitting back down again. Clementine glanced at it in indifference, showing no interest whatsoever until Squint placed it on his ear, balancing it between both long ears, grinning.

"Hey. Lookit this."

Clementine just stared at him, brown eyes wide and almost star-like. Then, she snorted, covering her mouth. But it couldn't be helped. The doe began laughing quietly, clutching her stomach. Squint through the fruit into the air and caught it in his paw, feeling triumphant.

"You need to cheer up more, girlie." He advised her as he tossed the fruit onto her lap, placing his paws behind his head and leaning back. "It's not the end of the world, and even if it is, we're not even standing on it. The ocean won't ever dry up."

Clementine smiled softly, playing around with the fruit in her hand. "Maybe not..."

* * *

Klue and Cocoum sat up on a branch halfway up the mast later that night. The young ape held onto the branch above him, his other arm hanging down as still os the ocean on which the boat sailed. Klue the possum sat on his shoulder, and though he was tired and exhausted, kept his eyed wide and alert. Cocoum, he knew, would have no trouble in going to sleep.

He was odd like that. Sometimes he wondered if he was becoming nocturnal (ironically enough that he possum was tired at night, and the ape was usually tired during the day)

They were not what you would call close friends, but teammates. Herd members, even. They argued often; Klue's no-nonsense, caring and leader-like persona clashing with his snarky, careless (or seemingly careless) loner attitude.

Klue had left his home after his parents made it clear he wasn't wanted. It was a harsh blow for him to take, but he'd always known they considered that the age he was now was what they considered a time to 'leave the nest'

The others; Lee the lemur and Hogarth the molehog, had also been orphans who left their homes to find somewhere better to live. They'd met each other by chance, first he and Cocoum, then Hogarth, then Lee on the way to the sea. He knew he others were orphans; But Cocoum? he had no idea. The young ape clearly didn't want to go into it.

Though he acting much like an adolescence, he had a feeling that he ape was slightly younger than he let them believe, perhaps younger than the possum sat on his shoulder. It was an odd thought since Cocoum was so much bigger.

He wondered how he acted so calm at his age, about all of this.

It was silly now that he thought about it, but it had seemed like a good idea, floating into the sea. Adventurous, even.

But now they were here, in a very tight situation. And Cocoum didn't seem to be bothered.

"What do you think about all this?" He asked quietly. The pirates, most of them anyway,where asleep. The kangaroo was patrolling about, as was that silent boar. It was oddly hushed.

Cocoum frowned, leaning closer to the mast and resting his head against the wood, his black, ruffled hair falling over one of his eyes.

"I don't think that we're going to see land for a while, Klue." He muttered after a while, looking over the oceans quietly. Klue sighed in agreement.

"Maybe the others will come after us?" He suggested, a firm tone coating his voice. Cocoum shrugged.

"Maybe."

Klue took that as a good enough answer, finally deciding on going to sleep. Cocoum would wake him up should anything happen. Attaching himself to the tree branch the ape was hanging from by the tail, he murmured between a yawn:

"Goodnight..."

Cocoum nodded, but didn't respond using words. Instead he stared over the deck restlessly. He really hated the night. But he also liked the way it was quiet, and that he could think.

_Real mess we're in now..._

He stopped thinking when he spotted a certain older member of his species making his way unnoticed by anyone else to the end of the ship, where the unfortunate armadillo (the one who'd tried to save their lives, he thought with a pang of guilt) was currently bound.

Curious to see what would happen, Cocoum swung as silently as he could towards the pair, keeping to the shadows of the night sky above, away from the kangaroo's torchlight further away.

* * *

Argeth finally came to, shaking his head sourly. It felt like someone had pounded on it all night, and judging by the people he was surrounded by, he wouldn't be surprised. It was dark, and the only light he could make out was on the other end of the ship. His throat felt incredibly dry and as he licked his lips he pulled against his restraints, to no avail. He tried again, gasping slightly with effort.

A low, dark chuckled rippled somewhere nearby. Argeth stared at the floor stubbornly. He knew exactly who it was.

"Come to gloat, old friend?" He asked in a raspy, dull tone as Gutt drew near, knuckle-walking as usual. The ape shrugged off his tone, a smile curling at the edge of his large lip.

"How's the view from her, Short Fry?"

"Dandy."

Argeth still avoided his gaze, the memory he'd had still moving through his mind like ripple in a pond. That couldn't have been the same person he'd spoken to.

Then again, the armadillo couldn't be the same on that had been in the canyon that day, either. Memories still poured through, though. Many he'd like to have forgotten.

"It wasn't your fault you know." Gutt's expression went from carefree and gloating to brooding in seconds. But still Argeth continued. "Both times."

Gutt forced a laugh, and it came out rough and deep. "Ha. Having flashbacks, land-lubber?"

"Same as you? yeah." Argeth finally looked at him, his eyes alight with hatred. Yet still the memory waved vaguely before his eyes.

"Why all of this, Guver?" Gutt was about to retort, but Argeth (knowing it wasn't the answer he wanted) cut him off, the sheer force of his voice able to keep the remark back for a few seconds. "This isn't about bounty or amusement. This is because of all that happened. What you did, what I did. I'm telling you now, let it go."

Gutt laughed, slamming a clenched fists against the ice bolder, just beside his head.

"That's funny, Args. Real funny." His face turned dangerous again "You talk about letting stuff go like you're the _all wise master,_ a has-been. But you haven't let it go, either."

Argeth couldn't deny that the ape was right...though not completely. The ape continued,

"And you know what you did back then wasn't ever gonna fix itself, _friend_." The primate was seething with loathing now. "You made sure of_ that_."

Argeth growled lowly. "It didn't affect you as much as it did me. You moved on, you self-centered jerk. You got a family that loved you and left me to _rot_."

Gutt slammed his hand against Argeth's throat, hitting his already pained head against the ice. "Shut. Up."

He released him and turned, storming away. Argeth watched him go with hatred, hatred tinted with the almost undetectable feeling of remorse for his actions.

* * *

High above, Cocoum watched with green eyes wide, feeling both unnerved, interested and almost upset by what he'd seen. As he watched the armadillo fall into unconsciousness again, he wondered what had happened to the older ape's family to bring out such fury from him.

He was so busy pondering he didn't notice someone looming behind him dangerously. Not until he felt a clawed hand grab his hair and spin him around to face its owner, who was revealed to be the primate pioneer himself. Gutt slapped a hand over he mouth just as he was about to cry out, slamming him against he wood of the mast.

Cocoum struggled the best he could as the older ape removed his hand and held him up by the scruff. Gutt leaned down at him darkly, eyes inches away from his.

"_What _did you hear?"

Cocoum's eyes widened. Holy Crab, he'd noticed him!

He saw no point in lying to him; If Gutt realized he was bluffing he'd surely slice him to bits this very second. "I heard everything...I didn't mean-"

"Shut up!" Gutt shook his harshly to silence him. Cocoum kept his mouth closed shut, his fearful expression now mixed with a glare.

"You listen here, you little brat." Gutt growled "You speak a word of what happened her and I will tear your Gutt's out and throw you overboard. Got it?"

He pointed his claws under the boy's chin, adding to his threat nicely. Cocoum hissed one sentence as loud as possible.

"Yes, Captain."

"Good."

Gutt released him, his posture turning back to indifference immediately. It was almost remarkable in a twisted way; he looked like it had never happened.

_Maybe that's the idea._

"Now beat it, Junior." Gutt told him. "Keep of my branches or else."

Cocoum grumbled to himself as he climbed down, noticing Gutt had pulled his possum comrade off the branch and threw him down towards him. Still half-asleep, Klue only awoke when Cocoum caught him.

"Wha? what..."

Cocoum decided he'd explain the morning, leaving out details of course.

"That old geezer better not call me _Junior_ again...or else." He rolled his eyes and moved his head around, muttering to no-one in particular as mimicking Gutt's tone upon adding the last words.

_Pfft. Junior..._

* * *

Review, please.


	19. Chapter 19

I'm bombarding people with updates!

ARE YOU HAPPY?

Review, then?

* * *

CHAPTER 19: OVER SEAS.

The ocean was oddly still after all the things that had happened.

Kureus, Maut and Glett had floated far from the pirate's sight; But also the sight of their friends and two unfortunate youngsters. They'd tried to turn the boat to follow, but the current wouldn't let them turn.

Kureus stood alone of the edge of the boat, surveying the ways quietly, feeling the wind whistle past his antlers gently. He couldn't believe it.

It was so calm, after the battle that took place earlier that day.

Maut flew over and landed on his back. It appeared her wing was healing nicely thanks to Clementine's herbs, and she could now fly longer distances.

"Don't worry, elk. We'll find 'em...somehow..." Maut muttered to him, only to have her voice die in her throat. She glanced back at the youngsters, the lemur and molehog, huddle up by the mast, haven fallen asleep hours ago. They'd been more frantic to go after the pirates, too.

Kureus was thinking hard, the bat could tell. He was staring at the waters so intently that he could have looked right down to the depths if he wanted.

She looked over the ocean dismally. As the sun was beginning to rise, turning the sky a shade of pink, the bat noticed something bobbing against the sun- something not as flat as the still waters the elf was staring at.

Kureus had noticed it, too. "Maut...d'you think you could fly over and see what it is?" He regarded her wing with uncertainty.

"Do you think you can make it?"

Maut tittered, taking off instantly. "Pfft. I can fly over the whole ocean now, if I wanted to!"

She whipped into the air, hovering on the spot for a moment to get the feeling back into her stiff wings. Then, she flew quickly towards the small object further away.

She began to frown thoughtfully as she drew near, just able to make out something round floating on the surface. Wait a second...

She whooped down, hovering in the air right beside the object. It was some sort of ball constructed out of curved wood; the same curved wood the pirates had used to hold fruit. It had been bound up in a hollow circle with vines, and it appeared to be coated in some sort of purple stains. Maut's eyes widened as she realized someone had deliberately made this.

She clasped the vines holding the construction together and found it was heavier than she expected; she couldn't lift it up. It was as if something was tethering it down...

She landed on the wooden ball and stuck her head in the water as the sun finally came up, allowing her some light. She saw, to her great surprise, that a vine traveled down to the depths. It must be tied to a rock to keep it in place...

The bat began putting two and two together, a large grin spreading across her lips. She jumped off the wooden ball and flew as fast as she could back to Kureus, slamming right into him. The lemur and molehog boys were awake now, rubbing their eyes as she babbled quickly:

"You will not believe what I found! someone left something back there!" She told Kureus in extent. He didn't catch on as quickly.

"Um...what is it?" He inquired with a raised brow. Maut rolled her eyes.

"Some wooden thingy covered in purple stains..."

"_Purple_ stains?!"

The elk and bat turned to the two boys, who had exclaimed the last words in unison.

"Purple stains?" Lee the lemur asked, jumping up and down. "Like the berries Klue's always eating?"

"Wait, wait..." Kureus was frowning, slowly figuring out what Maut was assuming. "You don't think they could have..."

"Yeah!" Maut interupted, jumping onto his head. "It's the old breadcrumb trail!"

"Yes!" Lee jumped, pounding his fist into the air in triumph while his molehog friend whooped excitedly. Kureus was begining to smile, but one question nagged still nagged him.

"Hey...how did they get the decoy made so quick?" He asked, frowning.

"Hm..good question..."

"Maybe we're not too far from them after all. We've been floating around a lot lately...and turned around...maybe we just happened to cross their trail." Hogarth the molehog offered.

"Yeah, and we almost passed it. Could thing we spotted it- Now, let's turn this ship about!" Kureus proclaimed, moving over to the boulder weights to begin turning the boat as the other followed. Lee hoped along, exclaiming loudly:

"Yeah, those guys are a duo of schemers! I _knew_ they'd come up with something!"

Kureus was very glad they did.

_Hang in there, Argeth, Clem. We're coming after you!_

* * *

Cocoum did his best to avoid Gutt after dropping the first beacon in the water. After discovering some of Klue's favorite berries on board (and having eaten some of them) they found that the bowls were very thin, and could float easily if they wanted to. During this time they were both trying to conduct an escape scheme, and a light had flashed when they tossed one of the smaller bowls into the water and watched it float back the way they came.

Thanks to that scruffy grey rabbit's fight with the flag (Cocoum honestly couldn't get over the fact they used him as a rag floating from the top of the mast) for unknown reasons, they'd quickly constructed the first 'breadcrumb' and let it drop, thankfully without any of the crew seeing them.

Later, Klue found Clementine sitting next to a tired, seemingly unusually quiet Argeth, dabbing his injured forehead with damp cloth.

Klue twiddled his thumbs together."How is he?"

"Not good. I've given him water, but the crew won't let him eat." Clementine sounded awfully upset. Klue did his best to reassure her despite his age.

"Look, we're all going to survive this." he said in comforting, firm tone, offering the kind rabbit a smile. Clem managed to return it.

"I'm glad you think so." Klue considered letting her in on the plan...but decided against it for now. Maybe he'd tell her once it was dark and no one else was around. Now that the fight between the other rabbit and badger had ended, the crew were going back to what they were doing before it started. Klue rose a brow.

"Does that happen often?" He asked while gesturing over at them, noting the pirate's indifferent looks, "Everyone's acting all normal while they're mauling each other."

Clementine glanced over, but didn't may as much attention."I guess so. They did it a lot while I was here. anyway. Though I don't have a clue what about..." She continued dabbing the now sleeping armadillo's forehead while Klue mused aloud:

"Huh. Wonder what happened..."

* * *

Squint hadn't been able to restrain himself upon hearing one of Gupta sly remarks. As he had been eating an apple earlier and leaning against the mast, Gupta had wandered up smirking like he'd never smirked before. Squint could see it coming from a mile away, and his ears had stood up furiously on end.

"So dude, heard you and the girl are being all nice with each other now." The badger folded his arms with an amused grin. The apple in Squint's mouth went sour. How did he find out?

Wait, there was nothing to 'find out' at all! "I'm not nice with her! Get lost, ya rag!"

Gupta burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "De-nial. It's not just a river!"

"What?" The buck didn't get it, but it infuriated him all the same_. "You...!"_

He leaped at the badger and tackled him in a furious frenzy. Raz, who'd been standing nearby, rolled her eyes. But a grin was starting to appear.

"E're we go again..."

* * *

Gupta just won't leave it alone, will he?

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	20. Chapter 20

WOOHOOO CHAPTERS GALORE.

review, please...

* * *

CHAPTER 20: JUNIOR.

"Gutt is going to kill you."

The possum boy watched irritably as his young ape friend stood over the side of the ship, holding onto a vine to keep himself from falling. His other arm held a certain Captain's seeing-scope; A long, circular construction that allowed people to see things from further away.

Cocoum had discovered this lying beside Gutt. Ever the trouble maker, he'd swiped it while Gutt was eating an apple, and left him completely unaware. Klue wasn't at all pleased. It wasn't like the two apes hated each other already, but if Gutt caught Cocoum messing around with his stuff, he's surely kill him on the spot.

Klue felt like killing him now.

"Seriously, Co. Put it back and stop playing around." He told him angrily, placing his paws on his hips. He glanced around the ship, making sure no-one had spotted them yet. The rest of the crew was playing music and having a bit of a free day away from navigating and fighting. He could see Clementine standing awkwardly at the side of the boat, fiddling with her fingers.

"I'm not _playing_ with it..."

Hearing this annoyed, dismissive remark, he looked back at Cocoum, who was still scanning the seas with the scope.

"I really need to get me one of these." He said to no-one in particular. Klue groaned.

A good cuff about the head is what he needed...

* * *

Gutt was feeling relaxed today, and the small feeling of triumph still coated his mind. He grinned when he thought of the unfortunate armadillo runt tied up on the other side of the boat. That would teach him...

The ape looked to the side, expecting to see his telescope sitting where it usually did near the large piece of wood he lounged on. But it was gone.

Gutt frowned and his eyes flickered about- when they caught sight of that brat from earlier looking through it at the side of the ship. He growled dangerously.

All right...

Cocoum didn't notice the shadow creeping over him until it blocked the light of the sun. The young ape froze, eyes widening as a feeling of complete and utter doom fell over him. He could hear Klue giving a long, horrified gasp.

He lowered the telescope from his green eye and turned around as slowly as possible.

"Having fun, Junior?"

Gutt's tone was even but his eyes were murderous. Cocoum offered a nervous, I-just-got-caught smile, shrugging a little.

"Heheh. Yup?"

Gutt wrenched the telescope from his hand quicker than a bolt of lightning, and Cocoum's nervous smile vanished as he stared wide-eyed at his now empty hand. Then, he seized Cocoum by the scuff and lifted him from the side of the boat. For one moment the younger ape thought Gutt was about to throw him in when he dropped him of the deck.

"Touch any of my stuff again, Junior, and you'll wish I'd thrown ya in. Now scram."

Cocoum cast him an annoyed glare at being called 'junior' again and quickly made himself scarce, his possum friend darting after him. He looked more scared than the one who was in actual danger did.

Gutt rolled his eyes and swung back into the branches above, muttering to himself irritably.

"Kids..."

* * *

Clementine watched Squint as he threw darts at the mast, aiming for the circle that had been drawn on with berry juice. This time he hadn't balanced himself on a branch and thus got rid of any chance of hittign his head again. Clementine was mildly surprise; She didn't expect him to be the learning from your mistakes type.

Cocoum appeared beside her outside the circle of laughter, music and dart games, Klue following behind quickly.

"This doofus almost got himself thrown off deck." The possum declared, pointing. Ccocoum rolled his eyes.

"Chill, possum."

Clementine agreed, however, turning around with her hands on her hips.

"You shouldn't annoy any of the pirates for now...we're sort of in a tight situation." Cocoum glared at the floor as Klue nodded, feeling important.

"Whatever. So, what's up with that Armadillo? he alive?"

Clementine nodded wistfully. "Yes. But he's very weak and sore." Cocoum bit his lip thoughtfully, glancing at Gutt up in the branches.

"You think they'll let him eat now? did they say how many days exactly they were gonna starve him."

Clementine shook her head quietly, returning to watching the dart game. She wasn't that interested, but since she wasn't allowed to be with Argeth too much it meant she had to stay around the crew. It was tough avoiding...

"Hey, short-fry."

She stiffened as Raz wandered over, frowning a little. Oh, boy, here it comes.

Clementine took a deep breath, noticing the boys had began moving away from the impending awkwardness to come. "Look, about the whole mutiny thing..."

"Yer sorry?" Raz rose a brow, then shook her head. "Don't say it, cuz it ain't true. Ye would like to leave 'ere real quick, we can all see that."

Clementine sighed, rubbing a paw against her head. "Raz, you're a good friend, and you've looked out for me...but I just don't belong on the sea."

"How come, short fry?"

Clementine shook her head. "I don't know what it is, but I feel restless yet...tired. I can't explain it. And I've into been eating right lately."

Raz frown deepened slightly. "Whaddaya mean?"

"Since I got on the sea...in the very beginning I didn't feel so good. It's getting worse."

Raz began noting the changes in posture to the fair-furred rabbit. Her ears, usually flopping, were hanging down lethargy, much like her expression. There was no alertness like there had been before, and she could see that the rabbit was more slim that she had been.

"Maybe ya caught something?" She inquired. Clementine shook her head.

"Probably just seasick."

Raz felt reassured at that. "Yeah, you'll get used ta it. And on' worry 'bout the mutiny thing."

Clementine smiled for the first time in what seemed like ages.

"Thanks, pal."

_"OUCH!"_

Clementine jumped upon hearing Squint yelling fury. Gupta had obviously stood on his foot, probably because the rabbit had just hit the dart circle and won the game, proceeding to gloat about.

He saw Clementine's slightly worried expression and looked away quickly. This made Gupta burst into hysterics, much to her confusion.

"What just happened?" She murmured. Raz shook her head, watching with no amusement whatsoever.

"No idea, mate."

* * *

Please review...


	21. Chapter 21

To avoid confusion about the joke 'Denial, not just a river'

I watched Kim Possible this one time and when they were talking about 'Denial'

This guy said 'more than a river on the planet- you know, the Egyptian river Nile? except you 'de' as the 'the' Nile?'

* * *

CHAPTER 21: BREADCRUMBS AND ARMADILLOS

Cocoum dumped the next beacon in the icy water the foggy night after. Most of the crew were still asleep, the only ones awake being himself, Argeth (still tied on the other side of the boat) grumbling, and that silent boar...Dobson, was it? Ah well.

He slid away from the side, watching the beacon bob out of sight as they drifted away. It was still a little dark, and that seagull creature was still asleep, so it was save to say he'd gotten away with it this time.

Cocoum moved along the side of the ship, whistling to himself quietly and tossing small pieces of ice into the water. Out of pure boredom, he ignored Gutt's first threat and began climbing slowly and carefully (oddly enough for an ape) all the way up to the tallest branch. It was thin compared to the others, and he didn't' think Gutt would be able to get him up here. Grinning at the thought of the older ape fallen from a snapped branch due to weight, Cocoum scanned the ship encase of anything interesting. He found it.

Clementine was awake, legs dangling overt he side of the ship, head bent. He bit his lip.

Hadn't she slept all night?

He began climbing down- but slipped. He managed to catch onto another branch before he spiraled to the icy ground and broke his neck, feeling foolish and humiliated.

_Imagine if everyone was awake and saw that? er..._

"Not the best at climbing, are you Junior?" Cocoum scowled, shaking his head. His stubborn hair fell in front of one of his eyes again; Something that kept annoying him. Brushing it away. he glared up at Gutt, who was leaning against the mast nearby.

"So? I'm a rubbish climber. It's not like it's a person offence..." The young ape was about to add on 'old man' but thought against it. Gutt gave a gruff laugh.

"Apes aren't 'rubbish' climbers, kiddo. If you wanna be of any use around here, I suggest you get better."

Apparently the 'no climbing' order was now over.

Cocoum didn't respond, but continued glaring at him stubbornly. Gutt's smirk faltered, as he was getting bored now. Turning to climb back up the mast, he added,

"Why don't ya go to sleep. You'll be less annoying that way."

Cocoum growled. "How was I being annoying?"

Gutt looked over his shoulder and returned the glare. "Throwing rocks and whistling when I'm tryin' ta get some shut-eye better not happen on this ship unless you want to know how fast the plank goes out. Now beat it."

"You can't tell me what to do!" Cocoum stammered, pointed up at him. Gutt snorted as he climbed high.

"Just did, junior. Now go!"

Cocoum groaned, turning around and sauntering away, fuming. Clementine watched him pass quietly and curl up nearby the ice rock embedded nearby, shielding himself and his possum friend (who was asleep nearby) from the rest of the pirates. It helped them feel a little more safe, she guessed.

"Feeling alright?" She asked softly when she noticed Cocoum's angry, trouble expression. He sighed deeply.

"Yeah...just...stuff, I guess. I think It would've been better if I just stayed where I was."

Clementine tilted her head and asked something she was meaning to ask for while now.

"Why did you leave? and where are your parents?"

Cocoum sighed, and she didn't expect him to answer until he began talking again.

"Hm. I left cause...well, I guess you could say bad memories. Didn't like being reminded."

Clementine's face fell in concern as he continued "And the second answer...yeah, Ma died when I was little. That's why I'm terrible at climbing I guess, I..."

"Never learned." Clementine finished softly. She smiled kindly. "You don't have to feel bad about that, you know."

Cocoum snorted. "Yeah. But the thing is...people sorta blamed me for what happened. I can't really remember much about her or how she died, but...I think she was trying to protect me form some sort of attack."

Clementine looked off to the side, staring down at the dark waters below. "Wouldn't blame her for wanting to protect you, Cocoum. You seem like a nice boy. And any mother I know would've done the same..."

Cocoum sighed again, closing his eyes. Clementine took this as the end to the conversation. She rested her chin on her paws, feeling incredibly tired but unable to sleep.

"Hey Girlie, sup?" She turned her gaze to the right and found Squint was standing nearby, half asleep and rubbing his eyes. Whoops. They must have woken him up...she'd forgotten that he had big ears (and thus good hearing) too.

She seemed awake a second later, zipping over and sitting down beside her. "Whatcha doing?" She shrugged, for once not wanting to run off when he approached.

"Thinking. As usual."

Squint rose a brow in a lop-sided way. "'Bout what?"

"Hm... nothing much. Just worrying about Argeth, that's all..."

Squint didn't know why he was slightly irked by that. "Why? he's not dying or anything."

Clementine shook her head once. "No. He seems oddly quiet and...well, less sarcastic."

_That alone's something to worry about..._

Squint shrugged, scratching his ear as he said "Well, maybe he's just getting it into his brain that Captain in charge, Girlie."

Clementine didn't respond for a few minutes. Then, she asked something unsuspected.

"Squint...is it really too much trouble for you to call me by my name for once?"

His eyes widened. Oh yeah...

But it would be so _weird _calling her by her name! it would be like he actually knew her properly! He pulled his ears in frustration at the sappy-ness, earning him a slightly unnerved look from the other rabbit.

He groaned a little. "Fine..._Clementine_."

It was too much.

She burst out laughing at his indignant expression. His nose began twitching in fury.

"Hey!"

"Sorry!" She gasped, forcing herself to quieten down. She sighed, looking a little more at ease. Squint followed her gaze and stared at the water, seeing nothing really interesting.

"Er...Clem, what are we starin' at?" No answer. He looked over. "Clemen...tine...?"

She'd fallen asleep, and to make matters worse, she was leaning against his shoulder peacefully. He stiffened, eyes darting around encase anyone saw.

Gulping, he placed an arm around her shoulder and just watched her sleep for a while.

Boy, he had to get outa here before Gupta saw this...

* * *

_"Man, these dares get more dangerous every time."_

_Guver grinned down at his wide-eyed friend, grinning mischievously and spoke in a now slightly broken voice:_

_"Is the lil' armadillo scared?"_

_Argeth glared up at him. "Course not. Just don't want to almost lose my eye again."_

_Guver rolled his eyes. "It's just stealing from the sabers. And anyway, it's not like they'd miss that rock they always kick around..."_

_"It happens to be the smoothest rock on the island, or so they say..." Argeth muttered as they drew near to the watering hole, where a group of teenage sabers were kicking around the smooth rock in question._

_"They look like a bunch of pansies." He added. Guver laughed lightly._

_"What are ya doing?"_

_They gasped in unison, whirling around at the sound of the familiar, high voice. Argeth's little sister Lily was staring at them blankly, holding a small piece of fruit in her paws_

_Guver promptly face palmed, Argeth groaning quietly._

_"I thought you said that you'd gotten her to stay home!" The ape hissed. Argeth shrugged._

_"I tried! How was I supposed to know that she'd fallow me, man?"_

_Lily rolled up to her brother's side, hugging him around the waist. "Please can I play, too? pretty please?"_

_"No!" Argeth growled "It's too dangerous..."_

_"Then why are you playing it?" Lily pouted, frowning up at him. Argeth glared at Guver a little._

_"Good question...but still, go home!"_

_"But Argie!"_

_"Just go! these things could kill you!"_

_Guver raised a paw. "He's right, shorty. Better go home, now."_

_Lily moved away, glaring at the floor as she went. Argeth sighed in aggravation._

_"She always follows me around, Guv. I can't shake her."_

_"She almost would've blown her cover with that loud voice of hers...lucky she didn't come in later when we were too close..."_

_"Yeah..."_

Argeth woke up the next morning, feeling stiff, sore and numb in the mind.

Yeah, he thought silently, eyes lidded and foggy.

But not lucky enough...

* * *

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	22. Chapter 22

_They see me rollin', they haten'..._

I guess I am still on a roll...

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* * *

CHAPTER 22: WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITH THE DRUNKEN SAILOR.

Clementine awoke the next morning lying on something soft. Here eyes felt heavy, but already the restlessness and nauseous feeling in her stomach were beginning to return. Judging bu the damp feel in the air and the dark grey sky, it was very early. Maybe she'd gotten some sleep after all, even though it hadn't been much.

She yawned softly, her head still resting on...wait a second.

Her eyes shot wide and she jumped onto her feet, only serving to make herself dizzy in the process. When she realized what had happened she slapped her paws over her mouth in utter shock and disbelief. She'd been resting her head on Squint's chest the whole time!

She almost fainted in embarrassment, removing her paws from her mouth to pull on her ears silently. Luckily the buck in question was still asleep on his side, arm under his head like a pillow. Clementine stood quietly, now with a paw over her eyes.

_Blooming heck that would've been bad it Maut was here..._

Lucky for her, no one had seen. No one, excluding a very surprised but smirking kangaroo, who had quickly sneaked away after seeing her sort-of-friend's reaction. Huh. Maybe Gupta was right about Squint...Clementine...not so sure.

Raz decided that she'd confront the rabbit about it when she was felling better. She grinned.

That should be a fun conversation...

* * *

"What do we do with the drunk-en sailor, what do we do with the drunk-en sailor, oh,_ what will we do with the_- OW!"

Cocoum rubbed his head and glared sourly up at Gutt, who gave him a look of total aggravation. "Shut up, Junior. Shira!"

The first mate jumped into view "Yes, sir?"

"Have our armadillo friend released. I think he's had enough." The grin of Gutt's face was almost disgustingly evil. Cocoum growled and sauntered away from him. The other pirates got to sing whenever they wanted...

He decided to follow the saber as she complied to older ape's order. Clementine's ears had sprang up upon hearing it and had darted after her as well. Maybe now was a good time to start continuing their escape plan...

Klue hopped on his shoulder as he went "I dropped the next breadcrumb when you were singing." the possum hissed to him "D'you think they're following us?"

"They better be. I can't do another day on this ship." Cocoum growled under his breath.

Shira carelessly cut the ropes restraining Argeth with a single slice of her claws, Clementine rushing forward to catch him as he fell forward.

"Ow, my head..." He muttered. Shira turned to leave, Clementine glaring after her.

"I'm beginning to despise that saber..." She told Argeth as Cocoum wandered over and slung the armadillo over his shoulder, offering to carry him wherever they were going.

Argeth didn't stir, but responded "I already hate them all."

"I'm guessing your personality's in tact again." Clementine remarked as she led Cocoum and the others to the side of the ship, were they lay Argeth down against the side to rest.

"Yeah, whatever. You don't have anything to eat, do you?" He broke off in a bout of coughing. Clementine had given him water, but food had been scarce for him. Klue quickly ran to get some fruit when Cocoum finally got to say what he'd meant to say ages ago:

"Thanks for trying to help us, pal."

Argeth glanced at him and shrugged. "Didn't do a good job, so I can't really say you're welcome..."

Clementine sighed and folded her arms at him as Klue returned with some fruit.

This is a fine hello... "You had me really worried, Argeth."

Argeth looked at her, an unreadable expression glazing his eyes.

"Hm. Well don't, Squeaker. Won't do me any good..." He cougehd again, taking a large bit out of the fruit he was handed.

Clementine sighed, mostly because the dizziness had returned to her head than Argeth's snarky behavior.

Cocoum looked over his shoulder to find Gutt was watching them, mostly Argeth, looking slightly triumphant and pleased. Cocoum scowled and looked away.

"Son of a..."

Clementine shushed him before he could complete the sentence. Klue noticed her pack clung around her shoulders and asked what it was.

"Healing herbs." She answered, hand still rubbing her forehead. "I keep them hidden about the place. I got them out encase Argeth needed any...but it looks like he's okay."

Argeth muttered about her definition of 'okay' while Klue looked generally interested.

"Healing herbs? whoa...wish I could heal people."

Clementine shrugged. "Maybe I'll show you a few things...I mya need to step down from healing a while..." She sat down beside Argeth. Klue was pleased by this suggestion, but frowned in concern.

"Hey, Clem, you okay?" The rabbit nodded.

"Yeah. Just seasick. I'll never get used to this..."

The group was unaware of yet another mammal watching them. Squint was on the other side of the ship nearby Raz (who was preparing some new fish-bone weapons, her favorite pass-time) and was crouched down, leaning against his dagger that was embedded in the ice.

Raz glanced at him in annoyance before noticing he was frowning at looking over at Clementine. She scowled.

"'Ey, Squint."

She looked over, returning the scowl, retorting rudely "What?"

"Whateva's going on, ye better not screw up. Short-Fry over there's sick."

Squint's eyes widened, an act that didn't go unnoticed by the kangaroo. She decided to let that sink in as he began looking back at Clementine with an unreadable expression. Raz shook her head and went back to what she was doing.

Idiot...

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Please review...


	23. Chapter 23

Sorry people but the roll ends here. No more '3 updates a day' going on.

On with the show!

Review, Please!

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CHAPTER 23: RELUCTANT LESSONS AND PROTECTIVE THREATS.

Clementine groaned slightly as she leaned her head against the block of ice at the end of the ship, feeling unbelievably nauseous. Her head was pounding and she could only wait for it to subside. Sighing, she turned around and rested her back against he ice, sliding down into a sitting position.

"I can't go on like this..." She muttered.

"_There_ you are..."

Squint had spent most of the afternoon throwing dried star fish at the possum kid. Unfortunately or him, it wasn't as fun as he'd expected; The kid turned out to have more guts than most did. Also, after five minutes or so of star-dodging his ape friend had come in and threw Squint over the Captain's head (then quickly swore on his live that he hadn't been aiming to hit Gutt) where he'd collided with Argeth.

The armadillo looked ready to kill him, but had moved away rubbing his head. Forgetting for a second that Argeth was weakened by the lack of food, he thought: Ha, Coward!

It was then that he'd noticed Clementine was nowhere to be seen and thus went searching for her. He found the doe sitting by the iceberg, alone and rubbing her forehead.

She glanced up at him in surprise, bloodshot eyes wide. "Oh. Hello, Squint..."

It seemed to have completely escaped the male rabbit's mind that she'd fallen asleep beside him. Maybe he hadn't realized...

Thankful for that, Clementine gave tiny sigh of relief as he plopped down beside her, twirling his dagger. He glanced at her, noting her wistful expression and blood-shot eyes, probably there because of the lack of sleep.

"Whats up with you anyway?" He asked, squint eyed and curious. Clementine shook her head.

"Just a bit ill at the moment, I guess." She gave no further diagnosis. Squint groaned, but let it go for now. It was probably nothing, right? everyone got sick...now and again.

Abruptly Clementine stood, Squint jumping up with her, ears sticking up in surprise.

"I need to move about before my legs get stiff...ow, my head..." She murmured to no-one in particular. Suddenly, she stumbled back. Squint instinctively caught her, trying to re-balance her on her wobbly feet. He hadn't felt more award in his entire life. Apparently the other rabbit felt the same way.

Clementine looked mortified despite being dizzy with her headache.

_"Excuse me."_

Their head jerked over to find Argeth stranded with his arms folded and eyes narrowed. Squint's ears dropped and he glared at him.

"Am I _interrupting _anything?" The armadillo inquired moving towards them with clenched fists. His tone was emotionless, but the look on his face was enough to send a shark cowering. But instead of doing that Squint allowed him to pull Clementine away, scowling at the older mammal defensively.

"Come on, Squeaker, I need to talk to you." Argeth informed the doe as he dragged her off. She replied with something along the lines of 'okay then' as they went. Squint's hold tightened on his blade. That idiot better not think that _anything_ was going on between them!

"You don't say a word armadillo! you-"

His voice faltered when he saw Argeth looking at him over his shoulder, running a finger across his neck before pointing at him. He watched the two disappear out of sight blankly, one eye twitching in disbelief.

* * *

_"Yes_! Woohoo!"

Hogarth pointed at yet another wooden ball bobbing about the surface. Maut, Kureus and Lee cheered upon noticing it, too. Glett gave a happy grunt as he wandered beside them.

"We're getting close!" Kureus exclaimed, "I can feel it in my hooves!"

"I hope y'all got those weapons ready! cause the trail's getting warmer!" Maut declared, eye the catapults they'd constructed over the days. Lee hopped onto one of them proudly.

"Do not worry, my battish friend, we got this. They'll never know what hit 'um!"

* * *

The sunset was dulled by the clouds gathering above; Rain seemed inevitable.

As Clementine, Argeth and the possum retreated to their usual place at the end of the boat (notably away from most of the pirates) Cocoum began climbing the mast, all the while putting effort in.

Climbing was something that he'd never clicked with despite being an ape. Other kids his age and of his species would've been able to get up there five times faster at least. He groaned as he swung dismally from one the of thicker branches.

_This sucks._

Gutt, unknown to the younger ape, was sitting up on one of the higher branches. After sending Silass off to scan the area around, he'd noticed Cocoum having trouble with climbing again. He laughing quickly.

"Now that's just pathetic, Junior."

A loud groan was hid reply before the kid retorted. "Whatever. What. Ev. _Er."_

Gutt rolled his eyes and leaped down easily, landing on another branch beside him, grinning mockingly. "Seriously, though, kid. You've never learned?"

Cocoum almost stuck his tongue out at the Captain, but quickly thought against it. "So? who needs climbing?" The tone in his voice was uncaring, but Gutt wasn't fooled.

"You need climbing, that's what. Now, do me a favor and jump onto that branch up there."

Cocoum glanced up at the branch he'd gestured to. It was quite high; Too high from him to reach up to without failing miserably. Now he was just making fun of him...

"What? No way." he replied, folding his arms. Gutt scowled, but laughed.

"I don't think so, kiddo." He reached over and grabbed him by the scruff, thrown him into the air without warning. Cocoum yelped and grabbed onto the higher branch (which was quite a bit above) with both his hands and feet, eyes widened in alarm. Gutt burst out laughing, throwing his head back in the process. Cocoum glowered down at him.

"I _hate _you..."

"Right back at ya, Junior." Gutt swung easily up, giving him a slight shove, amusement evident on his features. "Now move. Show me you aren't a complete loser and jump to that branch over there."

Cocoum would've protested had Gutt not challenged him by calling him a loser. He'd show the old geezer who the loser was...

He leaped (scared out of his wits but making sure to hide it) onto the branch opposite, wobbling slightly and grimacing. Gutt laughed again.

"Ya see? improvement already."

Cocoum's scowl remained in place. Stupid old jerk...he'd push him overboard when he wasn't looking...

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Please review!


	24. Chapter 24

Please review...I know there's people reading this who aren't reviewing...

Lol, no pressure. But please, review!

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CHAPTER 24: LUCKY RABBIT'S FOOT.

Cocoum's green eyes followed the sarcastic armadillo from high up in the branches, unnoticed by all. The morning was bright and there was not a cloud in the sky, but there seemed to be one over the mammal below. Klue had told him that he had informed Argeth if the plan, and it looked like the armadillo had done the same with Clementine, who despite her unwell state, became more alert. Cocoum's eyes shifted to her nearby.

The sooner they got that one back on some sort of solid land the better...as for Argeth...

Cocoum's brow creased thoughtfully as his eyes traveled back o the mammal in question.

Argeth's frowned never wavered, not for the whole time he'd known him. Despite Gutt's warning (it wasn't like Cocoum ever took them seriously anyway...) part of him kept wondering what happened to the older ape's 'family' and what had occured between him and the armadillo that had caused such mutual hatred.

He bit his lip, flicking his head-fur away from his left eye in thought. He was going to find out sooner or later, right? better ask tonight when his royal bushy-headed-ness wasn't too alert...

"Hey, Junior! get you sorry carcass down here!"

* * *

Cocoum subtly hit his head against the mast above. Speak of the devil...

Squint was happy to find that the threatening armadillo had wandered off in one of his moods. He was now talking to the possum kid, away from where Clementine stood at the side of the ship, watching the restless waves with a worried frown.

He sauntered over. "Sooooo..." He drawled to get her attention "What did the talking football want?"

If Squint hadn't been looking off to the side as he called Argeth this name (grinning meanly, she might add) Clementine's look would've given away that they had been discussion something mildly suspicious. Thankfully, he did look away.

"Oh, nothing. Just talking about...um..." She fought for a plausible reason. Squint rose a brow suspiciously, drawing out the next word.

_"Whaaaaat?"_

Clementine found Squint had darted right in front of her, staring her straight in the eye. She grimaced, then rolled her eyes, shoving him back a little.

"Quit it, Squint." She told him, turning away. "He was just going on about how stupid Kurues was?"

Squint looked confused before she added "The elk."

"Ooooh...ya coulda said."

Clementine nodded blankly, but inside she was cheering in secret triumph.

_Best lie ever told...by me away..._

Abruptly she felt something pull in her chest as she saw Squint's now suspicion-less expression. Why did she feel bad all of a sudden?

He's practically _kidnapped_ her and her friends!

She grained loudly to herself, some of her nausea returning. She held her head in her paws for a few seconds before she felt someone prodding her shoulder.

"What...are ya doing?"

Clementine dropped her arms, glancing at a very bemused Squint. "Still a bit ill right now, is all. I think I need to go and sit down again..."

"Oh, okay..."

Clementine hadn't meant for him to follow, but follow he did. Clementine didn't know what it was, but she had the strangest feeling that this pirates was not going to leave her alone no matter what she did...

She found they were sitting on the side of the boat, once again away from the sight of the singing, chattering pirates (and brooding armadillo) where she rested her chin on her paws. Her legs felt oddly numb, and her head swam with every trivial moment.

_Seasickness? really, Clem?_

She chased away the thought, noting that Squint was giving her a questioning look from the side. Well. Might as well say something to break the silence...

"How did you get here, anyway?"

Squint's ears raised a little. "Huh?"

She looked at him, ignoring her swirling head. "How did you get on this boat? I mean, you had to have come from land sometime..."

Squint grinned crookedly when she said that "Yeah. But I sorta got caught up in this big glacier break a while back. One moment I was wandering around the place near the big blue, then CRACK." He flung up his arms instantly, startling her a bit before continuing "I was floating in the sea. Captain found me half dead and saved my butt. Been here ever since."

Clementine rose a brow, offering a half-smile at best. "Did you not have any relatives?"

Squint, well...squinted his eyes. "A few. Didn't really know most of 'um...I mean, I had a lot of brother and sisters and all that but they didn't like me cuz I was too quick for them to handle."

Clementine realized that yes, most normal rabbits (known for their timid, quite characteristics) would not be fond of a hyperactive, loud (very obnoxious) lightning bolt of a buck about the place. Not like she could talk...she wasn't exactly normal.

"So whadda 'bout you?" He asked, leaning his elbow on his dagger, embedded in the ice. Clementine sighed.

"Well. Have you ever heard of...humans?"

Squint looked up, thinking. "Guess so. Weird things that dress up in different mammal's skins 'cuz they have no fur. What about them?"

Clementine laughed a little at this definition before answering "Well...when I was small, I broke my leg after I fell down this slope." She moved her left ankle around for emphasis.

"This human found me. I was scared out of my wits at first. Thought she was going to kill me. But she took me with her and fixed my leg, using herbs and sticks to make a cast to keep it still...It healed up nicely."

Squint, being a rabbit himself, knew that braking your leg was one of the worst predicaments if you relied on them to run from carnivores. To get it fixed was like getting a second chance at live.

"Lucky, huh?" He muttered, not knowing what else to say. Clementine smiled, but continued staring at her feet.

"Yes. Lucky Rabbit's feet..."

Squint chuckled at the lame joke as she finally continued "Well, I watched her over the days I was healing up. She showed me all of the plants...oddly enough, I mean most humans think we're uselessly dumb..."

"Rabbit aren't dumb-"

"Can I finish? thank you. After I healed and she took of the cast, I visited her now and again growing up. I began gathering the herbs myself...ended up treating others. My family...well, my older sisters anyway didn't like how I was being..."

She waved her arms about a little. "Different. 'Unnatural' they put it. My parents passed away years ago and my eldest sister was basically in charge...so you could say I got the boot out of the warren."

Squint's expression was one of hilarious, lop-sided belief. "Are you _serious_? that doesn't make sense..."

Clementine shrugged. "It did to them apparently..."

There was a pause. Clementine stood up, Squint following curiously. She looked awfully down again, so he decided to add in:

"Ah, who needs 'um. They don't know nothing. I mean, stitching idiots who get hurt up has to useful right?" Clementine smiled at him a little.

"Is that a compliment, Squint?" It was an innocent question (now that she left out the part were he'd anciently called himself an idiot who got hurt) but his eras shot up.

"No!" He growled in a high-pitched tone. Clementine laughed. His nose just couldn't be taken seriously. She could have taunted that, and maybe told him to go away and flatten his ears.

"Thanks, Squint." Was the only thing she said, however.

Squint's grey ears flopped down, face bewildered. "Huh?"

Clementine decided she should go and find Argeth. As she moved around him, she placed a friendly, appreciative kiss on his cheek. Squint's whole body went rigid, ears shooting up and eyes twitching.

Clementine sensed an explosion in the making and hurried off quickly before he realized what had just happened.

"What.. what...why..._gross!"_

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_Lol_

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	25. Chapter 25

Please review.

The later song's lyrics are copyright to me. If I find anyone using this (and I'm not pointing figures, you're all awesome and please alert me encase you find anyone going against this wish) There will be major beating up ensuing.

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CHAPTER 25: EASIER TO LOSE, HARDER TO LEAVE.

Argeth's eyes were closed, like how the clouds had over the moon above. The pirate shanty ringing from the middle of the boat was blocked out, hazy like his mind. Many looking at him would almost think he was asleep.

But he wasn't. He couldn't sleep. He hadn't been able to since he started letting himself remember...

"Aregth..."

A soft, not-yet completely broken voice spoke through the quiet edge of the boat. Argeth's dark eyes opened slowly, and they almost glinted in the moonlight. He saw the young ape he'd tried to save sitting opposite him, leaving against the sloping ice that made up the end of the ship. His greens eyes were glazed over, his expression wary yet curious.

"What is it, kid?" His voice, for once, held no sarcasm, no criticizing tone. Just...mutual.

Cocoum glanced to the side, eyeing the pirates surrounded the torch in the middle of the deck. Clementine was asleep, as was Klue. They were alone for now.

"I heard. You and Gutt. Talking about something." He informed the armadillo quietly, watching as his blank expression creased into a frown.

"Meaning?"

"Did you say that guy had a family once?" Something behind Argeth eyes flashed, he knew it. Cocoum waited, stubborn, questioning gaze locked on the elder mammal's.

"I might as well know."

Argeth sighed deeply, closing his eyes and leaning his head against the ice behind him. A long silence passed.

"He did, kid. A long time ago. Probably before you were born." Cocoum's brow furrowed by an inch, a doubtful look appearing. Part of him didn't want to ask...but he had to.

"What happened?"

Argeth's eyes opened and he stared at the floor with a look that could only be called sorrow...or remorse.

"Nature happened. They were killed in some sort of rock slide before he could get to them."

Cocoum felt something uneasy fall in his chest. He swallowed as Argeth added quietly.

"His wife and his child."

It had only been the smallest, most quite mutter he'd ever heard, but it struck like a slap in the face. Cocoum hated the older ape...but...

He sighed and slid further down the ice, slouching lethargically as he stared at his feet-hands.

"It's...the worst when you lose your family." He remarked to the armadillo after a while. Argeth responded in a hushed, almost tired voice.

"Even worse if you knew them really well." When Cocoum was about to ask how he knew that he'd never really known his mother, Argeth added: "Clementine told me."

Ah.

He began flicking the hair hanging over his eyes, feeling down all of a sudden when Argeth spoke again,

"So, your Dad gone, as well?"

Cocoum froze for a few seconds, something the armadillo noted. Then, the young ape shrugged. "Gone? depends which way you put it."

"Dead, then."

"Nah."

"...Cleared off?"

"Bingo. Before I was born, I guess. Soon as he found out I was on the way, too."

The look on the primate was beyond loathing, and it was clear he didn't like talking about it that much.

Argeth sniffed, looking dismissive. "Yeah, that happened to me after my sister was born. Can't remember why he ran off exactly, but I guess some guys are just like that."

Cocoum was unusually quiet, before asking a honest question:

"Do you think...it's easier to leave your family than lose them?" He was curled up on the ground down, head rested on one arm as he stared at his other hand with a thoughtful, sad look. Argeth sighed.

"I suppose. But then...missing someone you can return to must be harder than missing someone you _know_ will never come back." His eyes met his, and he finished softly.

"Cause then...they're missing _you_. And you're the one keeping them away."

Argeth turned his head and stared up at the sky as Cocoum fell into a restless yet deep sleep.

As the music droned on from the deck and the smoke of the fire rose into the air, no one heard Argeth's unusually soft voice murmuring in a half-song. A tune that was quick in the beginning and curling and the end of each line, moving like one's fingers over a flute.

_"If I go this way, you'll come af-ter...Build the mast, I'll build the raft-er...we'll tread the waves, we'll leave our caves...as if none of our past could mat-ter..."_

Clementine was sleeping uneasily, sat up against the trunk lying on its side away from the sight of the singing, laughing crew. Another similarly shaped figure wandered over as quietly as he could, watching tensely encase she awoke.

_"Before we were born, there was a frac-ture...we said we'd go even though we lacked-her...we did not have the know-er...but we thought that that couldn't ma-ter..._

Squint slid next to the fretfully, yet still asleep Clementine, looking a tad bit worried despite being very angry at her last stunt. _Why'd_ she go and do that...?

He groaned quietly when he saw her cringe almost fearfully, and once again he wrapped his arm around her, making sure none of the crew (especially Gupta) were looking.

_"Oh, we'll go where-ever, you and me to-gether, on nothing but crumbs and dew..._

_"We'll ride the-ocean, fly the clouds an' watch the world go by..._

Clementine smiled gently and cuddled closer, Squint for once not feeling too awkward. _Silly, timid girlie..._

_"And all the wh-ile we'll have each other's backs_

_And we'll ne-ev-er die..."_

Argeth lowered his head, and watched the softest wave move over the ocean, murmuring just above him breath, the last line that no-one but him would hear.

_"You and-I were made to-be side-bye-side, you're the strength and I'm the eye..._

_We will ne-ev-er die..."_

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Please review, and please don't use this song anywhere. I like having it as an original thing...


	26. Chapter 26

Hey, who's telling the story here?!

I appreciate suggestions, but I keep getting lots of people (on all of my ice age fanfics so far, and I'm not pointing figures) asking for things to happen. This story goes were I say, okay?

I'm the boss.

No, I'm not mad. You're all still awesome.

Please Review!

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CHAPTER 26: UNCERTAINTY.

_Argeth had waited in the canyon for Guver for a long time now. Their usually early rendez vu appeared to have been canceled, for the sun was now high in the sky and the ape was nowhere in sight. The half-grown armadillo groaned, his now broken voice grating in his throat._

_C'mon, man...were are you...?_

_"Big brother!"_

_Oh ,for the love of..._

_Argeth turned to find Lily standing behind him, glaring up at him sourly, her squeaky voice cutting throw the silence like a knife._

_"Lily, honestly..."_

_"Don't say it, Args. I wanna come with you and Guver this time!" Argeth rolled his eyes, growling softly to himself._

_"Look, I don't think he's even coming. And plus..."_

_"Who's not coming?"_

_Both armadillos looked over and found the ape in question knuckle-walking towards them, looking very passive. Guver had grown twice the size than he'd been two years ago, and being older than Argeth was almost to the last years in his adolescence stage._

_But, his trouble-making ways had not gone just yet. But his time-keeping seemed to._

_"Where the heck have you been? seriously..." Argeth said while folding his arms. Guver snorted._

_"Chill out, Args. And what's your sister doing here?"_

_"She was just leaving." He gave his sister a narrowed glare "Weren't you, Lil?"_

_She folded her arms in a hilarious mimic of her brother, stomping one foot. Guver laughed under his breath at Argeth's irked expression._

_"Lil, just go!"_

_Argeth had already turned and stormed off before his sister could reply. Glancing over his shoulder once, she saw that she'd began to leave. Good riddance.._

_"Almost every time now." Guver remarked as they wandered down the canyon. They didn't always pull pranks here, especially now that they getting older. And not to mention their favorite victims (the sabers) were beginning to mature, too._

_"I honestly don't know what to do about her, Guver. Sometimes I wish I could just get off this stupid rock."_

_"What, like the sea?" Guver looked up thoughtfully. "Sounds fun. We should do that when we're older."_

_Argeth smiled a little. These kinds of wacky dreams usually came up between them. He sort of liked the idea of leaving this jungle...when they'd been younger he and Guver had made plans of where they would go, what would they see...Argeth knew for sure that whatever they did, hey should bring those catapults he'd designed (a skill he'd learned over the years of warding off predators or annoying them) were equipped with whatever vessel they had._

_He left this train of thought as Guver began talking again, looking considerate, but with a mischievous look in his eye. Argeth's brow fell along with his shoulders. _

_Uh, oh._

_"Better than hitting those sabers with rocks...they took all the fun out of it once they started sharpening their blunt claws...though we haven't tried chucking them into the water. That should be fun..."_

_"So we going to bother said Sabers today?" Argeth asked reluctantly, watching Guver's signature grin begin to spread._

_"Yup. Let's move."_

_If Argeth had looked over his shoulder as he'd left, maybe he would've seen the small, dark grey ball following behind them as they tread into saber territory. Maybe he would've told said ball to go home and not to come back this time._

_And maybe, years into the future, he wouldn't have been standing on the otherwise of the ice ship, filled with nothing but loathing for the one who was once his best friend and the only one he could truly trust._

* * *

"Squint, what are you doing?"

Clementine watched Squint awkwardly as he began twirling his blade, alright at someone out of the corner of his squinting eye. She followed this lopsided gaze until she spotted a familiar flag-like badger, who was grinning slyly over at the buck. She glanced between them blankly as Raz wandered up beside her.

She was glad that Raz had forgiven her somewhat, but it didn't help her growing guilt much. She knew Kureus and the others could be following and yet she was socializing with them..and making friends.

She'd woken up that morning to find Squint asleep beside her, with his arm around her, something that made her stiffen in complete disbelief. She knew they were on better terms than they'd ever been but...urgh, it too embarrassing to talk about. She'd quickly slipped out of his grasp. When he woke up she tried to her best to confront him about it, but he looked extremely irked by it, claiming it was an accident and hugging was 'gross'

It seemed that Gupta had overheard this comment.

Raz and Clementine watched the up coming fight begin to unfold. Clementine groaned.

"This can't end well.." She muttered. Raz snored, her lips curling a little.

"It neva does, mate."

"So, you still in de-nial?" Clementine stiffened. Had he...Oh, _NO. _

"I'm gonna use your spine for target practice!" That said, Squint hurtled himself towards them smirking (soon to be yelling in alarm) badger, yelling a war-cry. Clementine promptly face-palmed, her head tilted back as the horrible sick feeling began to return. Not helping, you two...

* * *

Cocoum was sitting on the branches, high than usual. He hated to admit it (and he would've out loud) but Gutt's threatening lessons in climbing had helped. A little.

He groaned as he thought of what Argeth said, looking down at the armadillo as he and Gutt exchanged hated glances from either side of the boat. He still didn't understand what had happened, but by what he'd heard, they may have been friends.

It seemed unlikely. They had just appeared to be two people who happened to despise each other for no apparent reason.

But there was an apparent reason that the young ape was determined to get to the bottom of...oh, look, Clementine.

His serious train of thought stopping short, he saw that she was listening to that hyperactive rabbit going on about something. He rose a brow.

Klue had scaled the tree after him (something that proved a chore for him since he felt so tired; He spent all night shoving another breadcrumb off the boat at the right moment) and hopped onto his shoulder, panting.

"Whoo...man that's high. I got the beacon off last night...or was it just really early in the morning? I can't even tell..."

"That rabbit's nuts..." Cocoum stated, having been obvious to the possums complaint. Scowling, Klue followed his gaze and spotted the hyperactive rabbit punching the badger in the face while Clementine head was leaning up to the heavens, one paw covering her eyes in exasperation. The possum nodded in agreement despite being furious with his ape friend's neglect to his voice.

"Yeah...maybe worse than that guy Krai told us about..."

"You mean Buck? no way...that was one, crazy weasel..."

* * *

A little cameo reference to a character appearing in a new fic (that won't be uploaded for a while, It's only being planned for now) Named Krai, who ran into Buck. Just to avoid confusion, Krai did not join them on their voyage as he was more of an acquaintance, and he told them of Buck (A fellow weasel he'd run into after falling through the ice) a while before they left.

Please leave a review.


	27. Chapter 27

Things are about to get tense, mates.

Please review or you'll be left in the tension...

I might be kidding...

Lol.

Please review.

* * *

CHAPTER 27: BIG BROTHER.

"Stupid Badger, always sayin' stuff." Squint muttered as he stormed past. Clementine was doing her best to follow, but her head was pounding so much she could barely go in a straight line. Her stomach was turning as if she was on some sort of wheel now.

"Squint, wait up...what was..." She slowed down, holding her head in one paw, shivering uncontrollably now. Good grief...

Squint only caught a few words from her sentence but answered anyway. "I don't get it. It's like he's so sure they're something going on, which is gross, no offence, Clementine, I like ya- wait no, I don't...Clem?"

No answer.

"Clementine?" The buck turned around, figuring that she'd wandered off again when he spotted a familiar fair-furred figure lying on the ice. Clementine had collapsed.

His eyes shot wide and he darted over, dropping his knife in the process as Raz drew near, wearing a grim expression.

Not Good.

* * *

__It had been so long ago since it happened that many would question if it ever happened at all; That is, if they were the few who remembered.

Also, sometimes things that seem so trivial in life are the things you miss the most when they're gone the were the things you longed to return the most. Argeth knew this more than anyone, more than anyone in the world.

Things like walking down the path and waving to your friend, joking around with them as usual. The way you could walk into your home a feel safe and at ease, and the way you were awakened every morning by your little sibling, who annoyed you a bit. Or how you'd sometimes play games with them to keep them happy, maybe tell them a story. Argue with them sometimes. Because it's not like they'll be gone tomorrow, right?

Wrong. Very wrong.

_Argeth and Guve edged behind the trees surrounding the watering hole; A dark, shadowed part of the land where no herbivore dare tread in fear of the ever-growing saber pack. But appeared today that they were nowhere in sight; Something Argeth noted with great unease and Guver wandering towards the secluded water nearby, looking around with a frown. Part of his inner instinct screamed at him to move away. This wasn't right._

_Argeth tried calling as quite as he could over to his careless friend. "Guv! Guver, we should go!"_

_Guver looked at him over his broad shoulder, snorting "Hah. Don't be such a wimp, Args. They're not even here..."_

_Argeth's usually narrowed eyes (now uncharacteristically wide and alert) traced the trees and foliage around the waterhole, finding nothing. He still didn't like it, but went against his instincts and wandered after his older ape companion, still obvious to the smaller figure rolling silently behind him._

Argeath was alone on the edge of the boat, sitting on the very tip of the vessel, legs dangling stiffly over the side as he gazed at the water. His reflection stared back, his furrowed brow creasing even more as the flickering returned, the wind whistling in his ears as the reflection below him reemerged into the one it had been years ago...at least, in his mind it did...

_Argeth stared nervously into the ripping water. How many sabers stared in here everyday? they grew in numbers all the time, but now that they'd vanished into thin air he felt even more uneasy than he did being chased by five of them._

_Guver's reflection looked over his shoulder. "Hey look, a dino. Oh wait, it's you. My mistake."_

_Argeth rolled his eyes scornfully, forgetting his misgivings for at least a second as he turned, attempting to hit Guver as he turned away. He missed._

_"Yeah, ya sure it wasn't you?" He hissed at him. Then he remembered "Alright, they're not here. And I don' think we would wait around for them to get back. Let's go, Guver."_

_The ape groaned. "Args, calm your crankcase. We can handle them if they come."_

_Argeth clenched his fist. He should just leave this ape here until they came. That would teach him..._

_"BOO!"_

_Argeth almost jumped out of his armor-like skin when something jumped beside him and wrapped their smaller arms around his waist, provoking a yelp of fright from his throat._

_He looked down and found his attacker was none other than his little sister._

_"Lily? what-when..." He tried shoving her off to no avail, his mind racing. Oh gosh, she's here with them in saber territory...Guver!_

_"Guver, she could get hurt!" He turned to the ape, his sister still attached to his waist. "I told you we should have left!"_

_"Don't blame me, shorty, she followed you." Guver grinned, gesturing at his friend's younger sibling to emphasize his point. Argeth sighed, finally managing to pull Lily from around his waist. He held her at harms length, scowling in fury._

_"What are you doing, Sis? go home, now! I'm coming after!"_

_"Yeah right, you always say that! I wanna pester the kitties, too!"_

_Argeth face-palmed heavily at such an ironic term for those killers. "Yeah, but this time I got a bad feeling. I'm coming home right after I knock some sense into Guv."_

_Lily pouted, despite being a little too old now for that kind of behavior as Guver retorted, saying something about **him** knocking some sense into** Argeth** when she said._

_"Fine. But this time, I'm tellin' Ma, and you can't stop me, hmph!"_

_Argeth knew that the only way he'd get her to take back this threat was allow her to stay...which would mean an even worse punishment when he got home. If he got home..._

_He spun around in fury and began arguing with Guver again as Lily stormed away, head held high and looking triumphant despite not being able to stay._

_"Now I'm really gonna be in trouble..."_

_"Args, not my fault..."_

_"You talked me into it and-"_

_Guver rolled his eyes, glancing over Agerth's shoulder. In that split second he saw something that made his brow eyes widened in horror._

_Argeth's speech halted and he jerked his head around as Guver called out; Called out to Lily, who was facing them again, glaring. Only she wasn't alone._

_Crouched on a boulder behind her was a saber, ready to pounce at any second.-_

Argeth's eyes tightened, head lowering.

_-Any second, but a second too quick for Argeth, who had darted forward, calling for his sister to move out of the way-_

It hadn't been enough. It would never have been enough.

_-As the saber pounced towards them, claws out and teeth barred before he could get there. The saber hit both of them, Arget suffering less of the blow-_

Argeth's paw traced along his side, the long forgotten pain ebbing like a wisp of smoke at the back of his mind.

_-The last thing he remembered before he hit the ground was Guver calling for him, and Lily shouting one last, familiar phrase, her last.._

Argeth finally allowed his stinging eyes to open. They held nothing but grief for those last words...those last words that had haunted him, always echoing throughout his youth, were as clear as they had been the time he'd heard them.

_"Big Brother!"_

* * *

And with those memories reverberating in his mind, Argeth knew that the things he'd miss he most would indeed be the most trivial things. He would've given anything to walk into the cave that night and find his sister there, annoying him as usual.

And though he hated to admit it, deep down some part of him would've given anything to have gone down that path the next day and met up with Guver, just like always...

Argeth raised his head, staring over at his former best friend, the ape perched up on the mast, eyeglass in hand. He did not feel hate boiling over for once...at least, not in this second. It was still there, but masked for this limited, odd moment. Because what happened after...what happened after wasn't the ape's worst deed, nor his worst betrayal.

It was Argeth's.

* * *

GASP.

Please review.

I feel annoyed because this chapter doesn't feel emotional enough.


	28. Chapter 28

Please review...I might really need to slow down. No, seriously. I mean it. I don't think I can get any more chapters done over next week and the week after, at least not one a day. But certainly not one a week...it depends.

Please review.

* * *

CHAPTER 28: WHO INDEED.

Squint was kneeling beside the comatose Clementine by the time Cocoum and Klue realized what had happened. The young ape, with Lkue clinging to his shoulder fearfully, swung down and landed nearby, quickly joining the other rabbit and kangaroo.

"What happened?" Klue exclaimed, jumping down beside her. Squint looked like he was hesitating on whether or not to lift her. He didn't need to wonder long, however, as Argeth sudden shoved his way through and knelt beside her, taking hold of her shoulders and turning her over.

"Clementine!" He asked, giving her a shake. Her head lulled and flopped forward as she let out a soft groan. Cocoum let out a tiny sigh of relief.

"Well, at least she's alive..." He mumbled as Argeth gave her yet another, more gently this time.

"Clem, what's up?" He demanded, scowling, though Cocoum could catch a trace of worry in his hard eyes. The young ape looked over his shoulder and say Gutt had seen, and panic swelled up. What would he do if he thought one of the crew was seriously ill? one he would probably like to get rid off because of her connection to Argeth?

Biting his lip, he slid away and approaches Gutt just as the older ape landed on the ground with a grunt, looking annoyed. Cocoum tried not to like lie he was attempting to block his way, but was apparently failing when he saw one of Gutt's brow raise.

"Urgh...it's nothing real serious, Clem just...slipped and-" He wasn't able to stammer for long, for Gutt interrupted him with an oily laugh.

"Yeah, nice try, Junior." He grabbed his roughly by the scruff and chucked him aside, the younger ape giving a yelp followed by a grunt as he slid across the deck.

"Ow..."

Argeth had lifted Clementine into his arms and turned around by the time Gutt had approached. He groaned upon hearing his voice.

"Does this look like a social club to any of you sorry weevils?!" Gutt glanced around the group, who didn't respond but cringed (apart from Argeth, obviously)

"Clementine just got a bit seasick. She'll get over it. I had it, too." had Clementine been awake she would've pointed out that this was a lie, but since she was the only one with that knowledge and was still dazed she did not.

Squint appeared to be less worried upon hearing that, though Raz's frown remained in place. Gutt laughed a little at Argeth's hero-like position.

"Alright, land-lubber, why don't you deal with you seasick deadweight and quit wasting my time." A second after that statement was said Argeth found Gutt's claws just inches away from his eyes. They remained narrowed and bored. He gave a 'humph' in a tone along the lines of agreement. Gutt rolled his eyes and turned to leave, shouting at the gathering pirates (Gupta and the rest had just began wondering what was happening and came to investigate) as he did so.

"And you lot can get back to work. Silass! scout report."

Cocoum glowered at Gutt as watched him climb back up onto his usual place at the top of the mast. It was moments like these that he couldn't suppress the urge to annoy.

It wasn't like Gutt didn't deserve it, and he sorta wanted to know if any ships were approaching, too...

* * *

Squint and Raz followed Agreth, who didn't seem pleased with their tagging alone, to the other edge of the boat near some stacks of weapons as the rest of the crew got on with swamping the deck and checking the vines.

"What's up with shorty, then?" Raz inquired, leaning on her staff. Squint rose a brow from bedside her large foot.

"Didn't he just say she'd get over it?" He asked, earning himself a glare from the kangaroo.

"Are ya really that much of a dummy? this ain't just seasickness is it?" Her attention turned back to Argeth, who was now resting Clementine against the ice gently.

He sighed deeply. "She's not the strongest mammal on the Earth, you know. I don't think sea live if doing any good. Don't know why, some people just can't deal with it. And she can't. And it's making her really ill."

Squint was staring at Clementine, an act that went unnoticed by the other two. "Well...What are ya gonna do, then?"

Sicne his back was turned to them and thus his expression was hidden, Argeth allowed his eyes to narrow darkly; Knowing. Oh, he knew all right. They were getting off this boat and finding land.

Getting off this boat using the breadcrumb trail was a small hope (considering the others found it) but even then they needed to know where to find land. Now, who could they subtly asked about such a matter.

As he thought up a plausible lie for the pirates standing behind him, Argeth's narrowed eyes traveled over and spotted Flynn, who was playing with a spoon as if it were a dagger. "She'll get over it, eventually." He lied. Now, who was the only seal dumb enough to unwittingly betray his crew?

He smiled grimly as Flynn dropped his spoon, looking almost heartbroken. Huh. Who Indeed.

"Nothing in sight captain. It seems that today the seas are clear."

Sillass informed his slightly irritated Captian in a bland french voice, looking just as annoyed with his findings as Gutt did. The ape sniffed in indifference.

"Huh. We got enough to last a while until the next plunder. See to it you search again tomorrow." He told the seagull. Silass nodded once and swooped down to the deck, probably to join in with the newest dart game. Gutt noticed that Squint was not present. Weird turn of events...

Suddenly he felt a weight hop onto his back and shoulders, and a young voice call out from above:

"So who are we plundering?" Gutt sighed deeply and looked up, finding the annoyance to be none other than Cocoum, who (this little brat was really _asking_ to be gutted now) was holding his spyglass to his eye, sat on his back and looking out over the ocean, a large smile spread across his face.

Noticing Gutt had seen him, he lowered the spyglass and grinned at him, remarking:

"Nice view, by the way."

"Get. Off._ Now."_

Cocoum laughed; only for his chortles to turn into a yelp of fright once Gutt brandished out his claws threateningly. The younger ape jumped off of his back sharpish, onto the branch below and climbed down before Gutt decided whether he could be bothered going after him.

He decided that no, he couldn't be bothered. He'd deal with him later.

* * *

Squint sat beside Clementine, away from the dart came occurring at the deck. Gupta was never going to let him live this down...

Clementine's eyes opened, and he threw up his arms in exasperation.

"Finally!" He exclaimed, nose twitching furiously as he glared at her. "Why'd ya go and faint like that anyway?!" He spotted his rant when he saw Clementine giggle.

"Haha..you nose is funny..." She then slipped back into sleep, leaving a very furious Squint in her wake.

"Clementine!" he growled under his breath "Don't- why...URGH!" He folded his arms and scowled at the floor, beyond embarrassed and annoyed now.

_There's nothing funny about my nose..._

* * *

Please review...


	29. Chapter 29

Please review...

* * *

CHAPTER 29: UNTIL THE FAT SEAL SINGS.

Argeth wandering over ever-so-subtly towards Flynn, eyes glancing around, arms swinging a little in indifference. IN truth he was making sure that no one was watching this. They weren't. They were too busy dealing with that stupid dart game to notice him sneaking over to the large seal.

Once Flynn saw him he, being the ever dim-witted friendly one, regarded him with a giant, friendly smile. "Hello!"

Argeth glanced to the side, placing his paws behind his back, feigning mild disinterest. "Uh, yeah, hello..."

"Don't you like playing darts? That's okay, I don' either." Argeth hadn't even had a chance to reply. He sighed, something that went completely unnoticed by the seal.

Better get on with...

"Y'know, all this plundering's really hard, don't you think?" He asked, and rose a brow in the process. Flynn shrugged, his whole mass rippling oddly as he did so.

"Naw, not really. I mean, we need to plunder for booty. We pass land sometimes, but..."

"Land?" Argeth faked disinterest again, but there was a spark igniting in his eyes. "There can't be land around _here."_

"Yes there is!"

_Don't grin, Argeth. Stay cool..._

He couldn't help but let the tinniest, smallest curl of the lips appear.

"You can sail to Switch-back Cove and catch a current to the continent from there! Huhuh!" The seal laughed, looking very pleased with himself. Argeth was more pleased, though.

"How would you know where to sail to Switchback cove? just for reference...I mean everyone else knows..."

"Hmmmmm...oh! you just follow the reef that way!" The seal pointed over the side into the lighter shades of water. Glancing over, Argeth saw the lighter water (signally said reefs) traveled along almost like a winding river. Better keep track of those...

"Why thank you, Flynn. Now the other pirates won't think I'm dumb..." Flynn looked immensely happy at this compliment, but Argeth went on, "But...don't let it slip to the others that I asked. They think I'm stupid enough as it is."

"Aw, That's alright! I won't breathe a word...I mean, we all had to learn sometimes, right?" Argeth turned around and finally let the upcoming grin appear as he wandered off, paws held tight behind his back.

_And thus the fat seal sings..._

* * *

Clementine leaned against the ice, staring over att he dart game over on the deck dismally as she continued to fight the queasy feeling in her stomach. She was shivering as well...

"Clementine."

She heard Agerth right at her shoulder, whispering quietly. Her ears perked up, noticing the urgent tone.

"I found us a way to land. If Kureus and the others do arrive, just know that I know were to go. Just...act natural and we'll take turn keep watching the reefs. Make sure we don't lose track of them."

She watched curiously as he wander off, looking over the side quietly. Hm...a plan?

Getting back onto land seemed like a great idea to her right now. Sold ground definitely sounded like the best remedy for this wavy feeling in her head...

Sighing, she turned and retreated away from the dart came where Squint hadn't joined (surprisingly. Where was he anyway?)

She sat down by the ice at the edge of the boat again, playing with one of her ears quietly.

Her head was so dizzy right now she didn't even-

"Sup."

Oh.

Squint had sauntered over again, and Clementine didn't notice that he was watching her closely as he flopped down beside her, arms behind his back lazily.

"You're not playing darts?" She asked, flicking at her ear, still flopping more than usual. Her eyes her lidded and rather tired-looking.

"Nah. I'd beat 'im all anyway." Squint offered a crooked grin, one that Clementine managed to return a little.

"Hm..."

"Are ya sure you're just seasick...you look all..." He reached out and prodded on of her dangling ears. "...Floppy."

"And you look all squinty." She replied. It wasn't like she was fond of people pointing this fact out...but instead of taking that as a half-hearted retort, Squint replied.

"Why thank you."

She giggled a little at his miss at understanding.

"What's so funny?!" She smiled even more at his defensive posture, nose once again twitching furiously. She burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. He growled, jumping to his feet. Clementine too this as a good time to make herself scare and stood as well, only to have the blood in her head rush suddenly.

She fell back, arms waving in fright. Squint yelped uncertainly and caught her once again, this time actually lifting her up. Clementine held her head with one paw, looking dizzy.

"Fast moving is a no-go for me..."

Squint was too busy wondering how she could be so light and worrying that Gupta might be nearby...or anyone for that matter. He slipped further away from the deck, Clementine still in a daze in his arms.

"Um...maybe you should sit here..." She said quickly, placing her down beside the ice. She rubbed her forehead, looking like she was about to thank him before her eyes went wide.

"Do you just carry me over here?" Her voice was blank. Squint shrugged, going defensive again.

"So what?" He folded his arms, expecting an embarrassed reaction when she shrugged back, smiling a little.

"Nothing...er...that was...nice of you."

"Pirates aren't nice, their nasty!" Squint whipped his dagger our (that had hung from his thick belt) and sliced the air at the side to prove his point. Clementine sighed quietly.

"Okay then...I'll just collapse here." She promptly leaned against the ice, and suddenly she was asleep again. Squint couldn't help but be thankful hat the seasickness made her mind foggy...maybe that could have ended a lot worse...

* * *

That day Cocoum had done his best to avoid Captain Gutt. He was surely going to kill him for that last stunt. And yet, some part of him couldn't help but mutter that it was worth it.

The young ape was sitting near the bulkier end of the ship, away from the bantering going on in the deck near the usual torchlight. He'd dumped yet another beacon in the water for good measure, and had watched if vanish beyond his sight. Amazingly Silass hadn't noticed...then again, he only looked ahead of them for bounty, not the way they came.

Klue was talking with Argeth nearby the deck. It seemed the two were getting along okay considering the armadillo's sarcasm (and Klue hated sarcasm, that much Cocoum knew)

"Not the social type, huh, Junior?"

_Groan..._

"Nope."

Gutt knuckle-walked over, giving him a questioning look that was coated in patronizing mockery.

"You're a weird kid, ya know that?" His grin faltered, and a frown appeared. "And very annoying."

"Just because I like my company doesn't mean anything." Cocoum retorted as the older ape sat a bit away from him, raising an eyebrow at the youngster "And just because you're so easy to annoy isn't _my_ fault."

"Oh really? and you're just mister patient then, Junior?"

Cocoum scowled darkly at him. "More than you, anyway. You're scary, old man, I'll give you that...but that's about it."

Gutt's tone was even and he looked oddly passive. "That right?"

Suddenly he reached over and grabbed him by the scruff, and Cocoum panicked instantly, giving a slight cry of protest. He was really going to kill him now!

He yelped and tried to pull away, but Gutt had caught him under his arm and began giving him a mocking noogie. Cocoum began laughing because it tickled his head so much, despite his great surprise.

"C-cut it out! lemme go!" He gasped between his laugh, struggling as much as he could. Gutt was laughing meanly at him.

"Not mister patient now, are we, kiddo?"

"Get off! that tickles my head!"

Argeth watched the scene unfold from the shadows with a small smile. Oddly enough, after all this time, maybe some part of Guver remained deep within this vicious, enemy-gutting Captain who was now giving the kid he seemingly hated a playful noogie.

Guess being a father sticks with you forever. It was one of the things Argeth wouldn't never feel and never understand, but he knew that much. It seemed it was coded into people as long as they allowed it to be...given his own father and Cocoum's didn't.

_Guess being a Dad is more than being a just father...I wouldn't know._

As Cocoum was finally able to pull away and began complaining, trying to fix his head-fur's ruffled state as Gutt chuckled mockingly, Argeth turned and left.

"You're mean!"

"Pirate, Junior. Now enough with stealing my stuff. Those sharks are still waiting on the side ya know."

Cocoum rolled his eyes and hopped into the branches, swinging away. That had been pure mean...he totally wasn't going to stay away from his telescope now. He'd just steal it again for good measure...

He watched Gutt return to the banter on the deck, and for some reason he'd just threw Squint a few feet away. For some reason he looked furious with him.

Cocoum laughed nervously at the thought. Heheh, then again, sharks...


	30. Chapter 30

30 CHAPTERS GDKJDJDKHSKDH

WTH Am I doing with my life?

Please review...lolz.

* * *

CHAPTER 30: NOT SO CERTAIN ANYMORE.

Kurues was feeling more hopeful than he had been days before. They found more and more breadcrumbs, and the trail seemed to be getting more frequent. This could either mean they were getting closer and finding them earlier or their friends were dropping more everyday; The latter seemingly less likely.

Glett stood beside the tall elk, staring over the light-tinted water curiously. Being a land-creature that had never drew out to sea, Kureus had no idea what they had been at first. Then, Hogarth the molehog filled him in by saying that the water was lighter in some parts because of a reef.

Interesting...

"We're almost there, I can feel it in my wings." Maut remarked, landing on one of his antlers. He smiled in return.

"Yes. I just hope our plan will work..."

"Course it will. We get in, we get out, and kick pirate booty. What else?"

"Hmm...nothing much I guess." Kurues shrugged as Maut flew off up the mast, perching there in her usual upside down position. The sun was setting now, and sleep was beginning to seem like a good idea.

"We'll take turns to keep watch again..." He murmured to Glett, who grunted in agreement, bobbing his round head up and down as he did so.

* * *

Clementine was once again sitting at the edge of the boat, alone. The pirates were asleep excluding that mute boar that patroled around the place by the deck. Cocoum and Klue had fallen asleep hours ago, Argeth following. She pulled at her ears fretfully.

She didn't know what it was, but every time she was alerted that a new beacon had been dropped, she felt something pull in her chest. She didn't understand it, but it felt as if they were the ones doing wrong when it was them who were being held against their will...

She groaned. What would it be like for Raz and Squint is she suddenly declared that she had worked to betray them both behind their backs? She couldn't...

"Oh hey, girlie. You still sick?"

Oh, dear. Clementine tightened her hold on her ears as Squint whipped over, hopping down beside her, playing with his dagger. Wide awake as usual...did this buck ever get tired?

"Yes. Still sick, I think..." She murmured. Squint leaned closer, one ear up.

"What did ya say?"

Clementine shook her head, at last letting go of her ears. She felt immensely guilty, but she still couldn't understand why. She was fond of Squint...in an odd, uncomfortable way. And Raz was her friend...but she just didn't belong on the sea.

She hated to admit it...but deep down she knew. It was a scary thought that seemed a little out of proportion, but the healer inside her was so sure of one fact:

It was killing her.

She wasn't built for sea-life. Though she did not look it that much, she had been the runt of the litter (another reasons her sisters had regarded her with some sort of superiority)

Then again, she was only a little taller than squint's shoulder, so maybe it did show.

She didn't know how to explain all of this though, and the only solution was to bury her head into her knees again. She heard Squint groan a little.

"You're not gonna start crying again...are ya? Clem?"

Poke, poke, poke. She could feel him prodding her head and her fists clenched in annoyance.

"Honestly, Squint, stop it."

He did it again, this time just by her ear. It tickled, and she laughed, jumping back.

"Stop it!" Her gaze hardened when she saw him grin meanly. _"I mean it!"_

His ears dropped and his grin vanished at this harsh, firm tone. Clementine gave him one last look of aggravation and turned her head, staring to the left away from him. Squint groaned again, this time at being ignored.

"Don't ignore me! Hey!" Squint scooted closer and tilted his head to try to catch her gaze. The two didn't realize how close they were now. Clementine scowled.

"Please, not now, Squint."

"I'm not going anywhere." He growled in response, folding his arms stubbornly.

Clementine abruptly burst into tears. Squint drew back slightly, giving himself a mental kick.

_You idiot!_

"H-hey!" He stammered, waving his arms around quickly and glancing around. What if she woke that armadillo up? heck, what if she woke the _Captain_ up?!

"Don't cry, come on!" He said, tapping her on the head to get her attention. "Could ya just say what's wrong and quit it?"

Clementine's sobs steadied and she looked up at him, wiping her eyes.

"Nothing...just don't feel well..." She sniffed. They both froze when the realized how close they were, and could only stare at each other awkwardly.

Squint glanced about, trying to avoid her wide, bright eyes. "Urgh...ya still crying?"

Clementine shook her head gently, closing her eyes. Nope.

"Oh...good, then."

They were still staring at each other, but neither of them moved away. Squint felt like running but couldn't move his feet. Which was weird, since he was always moving about...

Slowly, very slowly, he drew a little more near. Clementine sniffed, looking a tad bit worried when suddenly she leaned forward and gently pressed her lips on his.

Squint's ears jumped up and he went rigid. _What...just..._

His thought was gone however, and he let his ears drop and he pressed back, wrapping his arms around her tightly. Huh. Awkwardness gone...

They held together for a few seconds until pulling away, staring at each other blankly. Clementine coughed, pulling at her ears fretfully at Squint's completely shell-shocked look, both eyes unusually wide (one of them was usually always narrowed...)

"Whoa..." Was all he could say. Clementine smiled softly and snuggled up beside him, head on his shoulder. Slowly, he began smiling, too, and slung an arm around her shoulder, resting his chin on top of her head.

Before he knew it, Clementine was asleep again. He glanced down at her. Wow. She could really just drop out of the count when she wanted to...

* * *

Klue tilted his head emotional, wiping away a tear from high in the mast. Cocoum had watched the scene below unfold with a raised eyebrow as Klue looked like he'd just heard a beautiful story. The young ape clicked his teeth together in inquiry.

"Oooooo-kay" He drawled, eyebrow still raised, "Did I miss something here? did they hate each other a second ago?"

Klue sighed, face-palming. Cocoum, being a pre-teen and therefor younger, clearly didn't understand relationships at all. Not like Klue did entirely, but at least he was a little more mature than the critical-looking ape.

"Just forget it, Co." He sighed again.

He could be such a dolt sometimes...

* * *

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	31. Chapter 31

Things are really heating up again, people...

Please review! Longer Chapter than usual...

* * *

CHAPTER 31: SHIPS OF ICE.

_Argeth had awoken later to find that Guver had rescued him and his injured sister, sped away from the attacking sabers that had piled in, an act of revenge against their seemingly harmless pranks from their childhood._

_Guver had entered a clearing near the herbivore territory, where it was considered safe by most. There, Argeth had barely regained consciousness and had moaned in pain...when Guver realized that his best friend's sister wasn't waking up._

_As other animals, like anteaters and the like, began gathering around to see what happened, Argeth's mother had come running out, looking hysterical. Someone had quickly alerted her of her children's injury, and she shoved her way through the crowd to find them both wounded nearby a very uncertain and guilt-ridden Guver, who shook his head at her, not knowing what to say._

_She'd basically ignored him after that, as far as Argeth could remember. It was then, after his mother hurried over to Lily and shook her roughly that they realized..._

_His sister was dead._

_Argeth could not remember too much of what happened in between two of the worst incidents in his life. His mother had broken down and cried as Guver backed away on his knuckles, brown eyes wide and anxious, for he did not want to do. They also held guilt and uncertainty; A look Argeth should have recognized then. But he hadn't._

_His sister was buried that night, all the while people gathering around asking both boys what had happened. Argeth had spent the whole day staring at the floor, mute and expressionless, as if the blow had shattering all he could feel inside him._

_But the grief was there, like a horrible weight pulling him down to the depths of an ocean. He knew that Guver felt guilty...and he should, since he was the one who..._

_In his grief, Argeth let anger get the better of him. It boiled up dangerously, until it resembled hatred. But it was not hatred, only anger. But he couldn't tell the difference at that point, when the other residents that knew the two delinquents began shouting at them furious, tossing around accusations like them pulling a prank of the sister that got her killed, and it being the brother's fault...and it was also...when..._

_When he'd shouted that it was Guver's fault, and he was the one to blame for his sister's death._

_It had happened so quickly; Yet so slow. The animals paused, eyes widening and turning to the young ape in question. Argeth did too, slowly realizing what he'd just done._

_Everyone knew Guver was the loner, the different, older one. It seemed more believable that he would be responsible for the girl's death...this much both the ape and Argeth knew._

_And now they were all against him. Beofre it had been him and Argeth fighting off the blame...and now Argeth had betrayed him._

_Argeth felt his anger ebb away to horror as he stared at his friend's betrayed, yet unforgiving expression. He looked hurt beyond belief, more than he'd ever seen him...and all Argeth could do was stammer and try to take it back._

_But by that time it was to late; The damage had been done. As the mammal's gazes hardened around them, they began threatening Guver._

_Guver began moving back from them, and at last he knew he had to retreat. He leaped into the trees behind them, his brown eyes glancing back and boring into the shell-shocked armadillo beneath him. Argeth couldn't look away from his friend's hateful gaze. _

_He watched him move away, mute and stammering. He couldn't remember much after that...just him thinking about his sister and how he'd lost her...and how he'd wrongly blamed his best friend and in turn lost him, too._

_Guver never came to find him again. He never saw him for years...many years. And Argeth found himself alone in the world after his mother became vacant and dismissive towards him due to his sister's death. He became cold, hard and even more sarcastic than usual. _

_He knew that there was nothing he could do to make it up to his friend, should he even find him that is._

_The weight never left him. It was there to stay._

* * *

Clementine awoke the next morning to find that Squint was lying beside her, head resting above hers and arms wrapped around her. Her mind was foggy and she felt incredibly sick, but she smiled none the less upon seeing his peaceful looking features.

The fair-furred doe slowly moved out of his embrace, careful not to make him. She quietly kissed him on the cheek affectionately before tip-toeing away, feeling oddly at ease with what she'd just done. An odd warmth seemed to enter her chest whenever she looked over at him, unlike the horrid nausea that filled her head and stomach. Was this what it was like to really care about someone...if that way? um...

She felt like she was going to be sick at any moment...maybe she should find Argeth (though what he could do she did not know...)

She wandered through the fogging air of the early morning, head bent and ears falling straight down her shoulders dismally. She was going to reel over any second...

She did, and instantly she fell to the side, her breath falling from her lips as she hit the icy floor with a thud. Her heat was pounding and her vision was hazy, but she could just make out a familiar grey ball rolling towards her and snapping up into the shape of an armadillo.

Argeth knelt beside her and picked her up gently, holding her almost like a baby in his arms, her head leaning against his shoulder. He noticed she looked more ragged than usual, and her ears were hanging down like damp seaweed.

"Clementine...we have to get you out of here." He murmured to her. Clementine moaned quietly, brow creasing in discomfort.

Squint had awakened it seemed, for he whipped into view a second later. His eyes widened upon seeing Argeth holding the whimpering doe.

"Wha..." was all he could managed when he saw Clementine's discomforted look. Argeth regarded him sourly.

"She's sick, Wise-guy. Encase you haven't noticed, she isn't built for sea-life." Argeth was dying to tell him that he'd soon take Clementine away from the sea, for it was the only thing that could help her now, but that would've given away their plan. Though maybe it would've stopped them getting too close... something he'd tried to prevent.

"Weren't ya the one who said she'd get over it?" Squint questioned suspiciously, a crooked look barley masking the worry Argeth could catch. He snorted.

"That's what I thought. Just...shut up for now, okay? it would do us all a favor."

Squint growled at him and approached, and for a second Argeth thought the younger ruffian was about to attack when he shook Clementine's shoulder, promptly the armadillo to move back with her as he said:

"Clementine? wake up!"

_BANG._

They two's heads jerked to the side, and when they did they saw a boulder of ice whip out from the fog and whirl around the mast like a sling-shot, attaching whatever had shot it to the ship effectively. Argeth smiled grimly.

Above Gutt had felt the jolt and was swinging over to the side of the ship, pulling out his spyglass as the fog began to part. Cocoum hopped up by his side, a worried look appearing over his young features as he glanced back and forth between Gutt and the parting fog ahead.

He couldn't help but feel that the timing wasn't the best.

Klue scurried over quickly and hopped onto Argeth shoulder, gasping loudly. "They're here!"

Gutt turned around and his blazing eyes met Argeth's, who again smiled without humor. The ape suddenly realized what was happening and was infuriated to learn it.

"BATTLE STATIONS!" He roared. The other pirates, who had woken up and had glanced about in confusion, growled in response and ran towards the cannons.

Gupta jumped onto Flynn's side, using him like a trampoline and launching himself into the air and onto the mast, where he attached himself as a flag. Cocoum saw Gutt's murderous look and began backing away, but the older ape spotted him before he could and seized him harshly by the scuff, lifting him up to eye level. Cocoum shrank back, looking more scared than he'd ever before. Growling with a humorous, dangerous grin, Gutt inquired:

_"Going _somewhere, Junior?"

Cocoum gasped slightly, trying to pry Gutt's clawed hands away, but to no avail. Gutt growled and turned to Argeth, still holding Clementine tightly and drawing back, eyes wide. Klue crammed his knuckles into his mouth.

"Put him down, Gutt." Argeth ordered loudly as the ape let go of Cocoum's scruff only to catch him around the waist, holding him tightly in the crook of his arm.

"I _know_ you won't hurt the boy." He gave Gutt a long, serious look, right in the eye. Klue glanced at him in confusion.

Gutt rose a brow and laughed, pulling a weapon out of the ice from his side as the crew began aiming at whatever it was in the fog that was attacking them.

"Hoho! Who's says I won't?" His expression went from mocking and cheery to dangerous and brooding as the sentence progressed. Cocoum cringed as Gutt flipped the dagger in his hand around, aiming it just beneath his chin. Cocoum glanced up at the elder pleadingly, some part of him wondering how the guy who'd almost acted friendly towards him was now about to kill him...and it was also trying to remind him of that fact. He trembled slightly as Gutt's malice-filled irises met his.

Gutt rolled his eyes as if annoyed, looking away from Cocoum's shivering gaze and back to Argeth, shrugging in indifference.

"Then again, he's isn't the one I'm after." Argeth knew what was coming, and shoved Clementine into Squint's arms and shoving him away just as Gutt released Cocoum and lunged forward. Cocoum stumbled to the side, reaching out a hand towards him.

"Argeth, _look out!"_

_BANG_

Before Gutt could attack the unarmed armadillo, a small ice bolder shot out from above and slammed right into his side, sending him reeling off-balance.

Shaking his head, Gutt looked over the side of the ship to find another, familiar ship sailing alongside them, armed with catapults and hooks, weighed to the side by ice blocks hanging from the other side. Aboard the ship were a familiar group who were now brandishing wooden and fish-bone weapons in the air, laughing and cheering.

A bat swooped from above, throwing ice into his eyes, cheering loudly.

_"Suckaaaaa!"_

Argeth grinned widely as he saw the group he'd been traveling with waving over at them.

"We're coming, buddy!" Kurues called, hopping onto a larger blcok of ice. Gutt wasn't having that, though.

"Fire the starboard cannons! Shira! deal with the vine!" he ordered. The saber complied instantly, leaping towards the wine attaching the ships. Cocoum saw her and jumped, hitting her in the side and knocking her off balance.

"Oh, no ya don't, buck-tooth!"

Argeth looked around frantically for Squint; The rabbit he'd hastily handed Clementine. He found him placing said doe against the ice and whipping out his dagger, brandishing it towards him.

"I knew you couldn't be trusted!" he hissed, going squint-eyed once again. Argeth shook his head, eyes never leaving his.

"Idiot. Get out of the way!"

Squint leaped at him, yelling a battle cry only for Agreth to side-step and hit him painfully behind the neck. Squint double over and gasped, completely disoriented. Argeth rushed over to Clementine and scooped her up, heading over to the ship's side, where Kurues and the other's boat was approaching. Klue followed behind, Cocoum doing the same.

Gutt whistled loudly upon seeing them run. The pirates who weren't firing cannons in response to the catapults surrounded them as some dolphins bearing sharp, spear-like noses rose from the surface and slammed into the other ship's side, pushing it away.

Gutt didn't want any bounty from these jokers, he thought with a satisfied grin as they began to panic, he just wanted them destroyed.

"Nice try, land-lubbers. But you're lil' plans all washed up." He told them, grinning darkly down at them. Cocoum drew back fearfully as Klue clung to his arm, Argeth's glare never wavering.

"Oh really?"

Just a few moments later, another catapult launched it's last boulder towards the ship, jolting all on bord and knocking them off balance. Argeth stumbled, before looking over the gab between the boats, still holding the comatose Clementine in his arms.

It was too wide to jump. They'd have to climb along...

"Cocoum, take Clementine and climb across!" He ordered, shoving her into his arms. Cocoum saw him gesturing at the vine and nodded quickly. "You, too, Klue. Go!"

They boys rushed towards the vines as another catapult hit the deck. Argeth turned his head to the left- just in time to see and duck Gutt's blade.

Argeth pulled a dagger from one of the piles nearby, battling out with the ape must like the first time they'd regognsied eachother. The blades clashed and hit eachother again and again, not one blow from either fighter landing.

"It's over, Guver- you can't stop the others from leaving!"

Gutt swiped at him, giving a gruff life. "Ha! we'll see about that...well, I'll see about it anyway. You'll be in pieces by then, _old friend_..."

Argeth ducked and saw that the vines was straining dangerously from the side. Cocoum and Klue had climbed across quicker than you could wink, before Raz and Squint could stop them.

Looking back at Gutt, he threw off the blade from his weapon and darted towards it, grabbing the vine with one hand and severing it with the other.

"No!" Gutt shouted in fury- but it was too late. Argeth fell into the water below only to be pulled towards the other ship quickly by the younger ape on the other side of the gab.

Just before one of the fiendish dolphins could snap at him, Argeth was pulled on board and the other ships canon's began firing down at the sea creatures, scaring them off.

they were quite far away now; too far for the hooks to launch and catch them in time. Gutt's claws scrapped th ground furiously as they cheered in triumph.

Squint hopped onto the side, unnoticed by all of his fellows pirates, and held onto a vine and leaned over, staring with an expression that could almost be called hurt as he spotted Clementine, still limp in the arms of The ape boy on the other ship.

Had the boats been any closer, he may have seen Clementine turn her head feverishly and stare back, muttering quietly.

"Squint?"

But the ships were too far apart for either of them to notice each other's looks.

Gutt glared after the ship in complete and utter loathing. They might have gotten lucky this time...but they wouldn't be cheering for long.

He would come after them...and when he did, the'd never know what hit them.

* * *

Don't worry, it's not the end! still a few chapters or so to go!

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	32. Chapter 32

I write chapters really fast some-times

say'in AY-OH

LOl terrible lyrics.

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CHAPTER 32: VENGEANCE AND VICTORY...LATER.

Following the reefs had proved easier than expected. After a heartfelt reunion from both parties (That is, Lee and Hogarth jumped on Cocoum and Klue in sheer and utter joy, chattering about how they thought they'd never see them again) as Kurues, Glett and Maut gathered around the weakened healer doe.

Clementine's head fell back as Argeth carried her over to the mast, leaning her up against it as the others gathered around fretfully.

"What's wrong?" Kureus inquired softly, trying to keep his voice down so he didn't worry the youngsters. It proved fruitless, however, as the boys had began approaching, too. Cocoum bit his lip as he watched Clementine, her breathing labored and heavy.

"She's really sick." He muttered, avoiding their gazes. "She needs to get back on land and rest. It's all I can think of."

Maut hopped down to the rabbit's side, shaking her shoulder frantically. "Clemmy! don't die on us now, girl! we're almost outa this!"

She was right. After Argeth had explained about the reefs leading to land (something the mammals had given another cheer for) they'd been following them ever since.

"We'll get there in time, right?" Klue asked fretfully. "She'll be okay?"

All eyes were locked on Argeth, who stood still, his fists clenched. He nodded slowly. The adults didn't seem too reassured but the boys (save Cocoum) breathed a sigh of relief as Kurues gave an order.

"Okay guys, we'll take turns to keep watch again. We'll reload the cannons, we'll check the weights..."

His response was a loud, annoyed groan from Lee and Hogarth, Maut as well. He glared around at them sourly.

"Hey, what if we run into trouble?" He retorted. Argeth stepped forward, arms folded.

"What if trouble is following us?"

Happy to have this support, Kurues nodded quickly. "We need to keep on our toes."

Glett grunted in agreement, nodding his head once. Maut groaned loudly but went to check the weights as Kureus and the boys, sans Cocoum who had wandered off subtly, went to hack up the piles of ice lying around to use as ammo. The armadillo held back, making sure Glett kept and eye on Clementine before going to seek out a particular pre-teen ape.

He found Cocoum sitting at the edge of the ship that his friends had built (partly, anyway) holding onto a spear that was lodged into the ice, staring at the water quietly. He looked troubled. Argeth wandered over.

"You okay, kid?"

Cocoum shrugged. "As I'll ever be, pal. Thanks for saving me back there."

Argeth smiled a little. "I didn't have to save you."

the young ape boy over at him looked at him, curious. "What do you mean?"

The armadillo looked out over the ocean, watching the sun rise into the sky. "I mean that Gutt wouldn't have hurt you."

Cocoum snorted, a bitter grin curling at the side of his lips. "Beg to differ. The jerk had a _knife _at my throat."

Argeth looked back at him, regarding him with a unreadable expression before closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"He knew I would step up. He would've let you go either way."

Cocoum scowled dangerously, muttering lowly. "Why?"

Argeth sighed. "You already know about his family, right?" his voice was quite, even. Cocoum shrugged, looking away.

"So? He's not related to me."

"Your forgetting he was a father once. I think he cared about you. Trust me on that."

Cocoum finally looked back at Argeth after a spell of silence, only to find that the armadillo had moved away, back towards Clementine. He sighed and leaned his forehead against the spear. What a loud of rubbish...

* * *

"Ow-ow-ow! Oh..."

Flynn whimpered weakly and rubbed his sore, beating tail fin. After their Captain had a furious rant about them failing to stop the groups escape, he'd interrogated all of them on how Argeth had known which was to go for land (as they'd seen the other ship sail away and follow the reefs.)

It turned out this threatening question sparked a memory in Flynn's noggin.

"Oh! Argeth was aksin' about that a few days ago. Said everyone else knew, and I said 'Course, it goes to Switchback cove and-"

THUD.

In that moment Gutt had finally lost his temper (yet again) and slammed a large foot on his tail fin, painfully.

He then paced away from his scolded crew. "That blasted armadillo is going to regret the day he ever met me." He turned back to them sharply, a malicious grin appearing.

"We're settin' sail for vengeance and victory, lads!2 he pointed at Gupta sharply "Fly the colours!"

Now motivated by their leader's change in mood, the crew shouted the familiar phrase in unison:

"ARGH!"

Then, Gupta quickly scaled the mast and attached himself to the top as the flag while the others gathered their weapons and their grins. Gutt swung up into the branches, whistling quickly to the fierce dolphins surrounding the place.

To speed up the venture, they embedded their long horns into the back of the ship and began pushing it forward, following the course the ship had taken.

Squint twirled his dagger around, a crooked grin on his face. He didn't know why, but some small part of his thought that if they took the armadillo down (something he had no trouble of doing) maybe Clementine could return... despite her sickness.

Maybe if she had a break on land she'd feel better, then come back.

Raz wouldn't admit it, but she had the same thoughts as well, though less confident as she knew that Clementine's illness wasn't going to get any better if she returned to sea, simple as that. Maybe if the survivor crew did reach land, Gutt would see fit to let the weaker ones go and keep his revenge scheme on the armadillo and Elk.

Pushing morbid thoughts aside, she handed out the weapons, hurtling them into the paws of her shipmates.

"Get ready, mates! we're up for some slicin!"

"ARGH!"

* * *

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Please review...


	33. Chapter 33

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey...Not many folk reviewed that last chapter. Were did ya all go?

Lol, kidding. At least you find more useful things to do...

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* * *

CHAPTER 33: LAND AND SEA

None of them believed they'd ever see land again, not by a long shot.

But, as the waves began growling lighter and the blur of brown and green appeared on the horizon, their spirits lifted along with their cheers.

Maut whooped around them all in circles, laughing almost madly with joy as Keures rose up on his hind legs, whooping jubilantly. Glett was smiling brightly as his eyes scanned the scene, the young lads behind them cheering all sorts of happy phrases.

"We're gonna live!"

"Whooohooo!"

Argeth held Clementine in his arms, the doe's shoulder resting against his softly. She hadn't moved the whole night, and they weren't able to coax her into eating anything. Land brought relief, and with it that Clementine would recover quickly. Agreth watched her creased brow for any sign of change, but found nothing.

He was the only one whose smile wasn't as broad as the sea itself...then again, it never was.

As the boat drew nearer and neaer, the mammals felt their hearts rise and became giddy with excitement.

"Fire the hooks!" Kurues claled over his shoulders at a very joyful looking Cocoum "I mean- weigh anchor!"

"Aye aye, Captian!" At this joking tone the animals burst into laughter, the survivors recalling the phrase they'd uttered reluctantly to Gutt before when they part of the crew (somewhat)

Cocoum dropped a heavier rock off the side; A bolder that had been embedded in the surface of the iceberg. It had taken almost all day to dig it out so they could use it as an anchor; One that wouldn't melt.

It plunged into the water belong, showering the side of their vessel with water as the ship touched the beach. Kurues leaped from the boat, Maunt on his back. The boys slid down the sides and into the water, each yelling 'cannon ball' as they went.

Argeth hopped down from the boat, onto Kurues' back and then onto the ground, Clementine in his arms. He prodded the sand with his foot, heart jumping a little at the steadiness he felt on the ground.

He felt like he'd been on sea forever...

Kurues was literary jumping for joy as Glett slip off the side of the boat, landing up side down on his shell. The elk quickly ran to his assistance, adn was he was back on his feet the group gathered, still cheering.

"Look at us!" Maut yelled as Lee through his skinny arms around Hogarth and Klue, hugging them happily in relief. "We're all here together, save and sound!"

"I never thought I'd see trees again." Cocoum remarked to no-one in particular, glancing around the place.

"Yup!" Lee agreed, hopping onto his shoulders. Argeth looked around the land. The trees he could see nearby included some he recognized a bit, and some he did not.

However, most of his attention was taken up by the giant, black-rock plate leaning lopsidedly against the land. Weird...

Clementine whimpered suddenly, and all attention turned to her, the festivities ending. Klue glanced worriedly up at Kurues as the elk frowned deeply.

"Alright...I guess celebration's over." He looked up into the sky, seeing that the sun was beginning to set on the horizon. Time sure flew...

"First things first. We should find a place that's safe to sleep tonight." He looked around, noting the nods of agreement. "Alright everybondy, into the forest. We need to find somewhere were Clem can rest easy..."

They found it later on that day, once the sky had turned the colour of ripe peaches and the clouds became light and fluffy. They'd found a small cave in the jungle among the trees, and the group had gathered a fire just outside it.

Clementine was curled up in a pile of leaves, her small paws clenched loosely by her head. Her breathing seemed to be steadying at last, though they were still long and harsh. Argeth had checked fr any sings of fever or infection but found none.

It seemed his earlier asumption was true; Clemtine simply wasn't built for sea-live and the constant rocking and undsteady ventures had done a great deal of damage somehow.

He wasn't that much of an expert to know why exactly...

The night fell, and the survivors began trading tales of what happened during their separation. After congratulating Cocoum and Klue on their breadcrumb trail, Kurues and Maut told of the days they spent arguing with the other two misfits as they built the catapults. It seemed kids were alot harder to deal with if you didn't have someone as firm as Argeth around.

The night went on, and the boys wandered into the cave to rest nearby Clementine, who remained asleep throughout the whole evening. Argeth had left out the parts between her and a certain hyperactive member of the crew encase the young ones found it silly and decided to mock.

Klue, Lee and Hogarth were slumped up in pile, sleeping happily. Cocoum was a positioned away from them on the other side of the cave, curled up restlessly staring at his hands as he listened closely to the conversation outside. He'd seen the meaningful look Argeth had given Kurues as he sent the younger ones to bed and now, with his back turned to the wide mouth of the cave (it wasn't deep enough to vanish from sight) he listened closely.

"So...what else happened?" The elk murmured quietly, the crackling of the fire the only other noise sans the soft cricketing around them. Maut was sat by the fire, Glett as well. They all knew the time for smiles and story-telling was over.

Argeth sighed. Cocoum could hear the reluctant tone in his voice as he began softly.

"Clementine fell in love with that other rabbit while she was on board." Had Cocoum been able to see them he would've spotted Maut grinning triumphant as Glett looked mildly surprised, Kurues frowning seriously.

"That can't be good..."

"Why not?"

Maut's loud voice was shushed instantly. Argeth continued, a hint of exasperation in his voice "It's not good because it's not really going to work, is it?"

"I think that's your fault, Args-ma-man." The bat replied. Cocoum could picture the rolling eyes now "She's not a lil' kid, ya know. I think they're cute. Maybe she'll stop him begin so dart speedy..."

Argeth groaned softly. "Yeah. He's part of the crew that wants to kills us."

Cocoum couldn't help but think that he was entirely wrong. After what he'd heard and pieced together, if Gutt had the chance to kill Agreth while the others were less easy to deal with, he'd probably take it...meaning that it was Argeth that he was after.

"Ya, well...we'll let them figure it out. Right now, we should concentrate on making sure Clementine will actually _be around _ta to so."

There was a pause, before Kurues gave a long, tired yawn.

"Well, I'm gonna turn in. It's been a long day."

Glett grunted in agreement and followed him into the cave, hobbling tiredly. Maut came after.

"Yeah, I'm gonna hit the hay, too. Ya coming, Args?"

"No...I'm not very tired. I'll keep watch."

Kurues seemed skeptical but replied "Alright then...goodnight, buddy."

"And Elk?"

Kurues looked over his shoulder at the usually sarcastic, cold armadillo, who gave him a firm nod.

"Thanks for coming back for us. I owe ya."

Kures smiled a little. "You're welcome, Argeth. Though you don't owe me anything. We're a team, all of us. We look out for each other."

Argeth turned away and stared into the fire as Kurues retired into the cave, shaking his head a little. But, a small smile had appeared, barely noticeable.

_Huh...a herd. Never had one of those. _

_Sounds, okay, though..._

* * *

There wasn't much conversation after that. As Glett, Kurues and Maut fell asleep, leaving Argeth staring into the fire thoughtfully, Cocoum couldn't help but feel a little afraid.

He would never admit it, but now, with the joy of being on land was toning down and the night was creeping over, he began wondering if the pirates would actually come after them. Seeing Gutt's furious persona, it was likely he'd want to see Argeth dead...

But why, exactly...?

Cocoum gave up on trying to sleep and wandered over to the fire, to were Argeth sitting alone. He sat down nearby quietly, wondering how to ask what he wanted to know when:

"I know what your thinking. You'll probably won't look at me in the same way again."

Cocoum shut his mouth, staring at the ground. Alright...

"What happend...?" He asked. Argeth sighed deeply.

"You know, Guver was a lot like you once. I keep..."

The armadillo reached down and picked up a stick from nearby, and he began poking the flames gently. "I guess I keep getting reminded of the old days when I see you sometimes."

Cocoum said nothing, as the far away, sorrowful gaze look on the armored mammal's face told him that this was no time to interrupt.

"Funny thing, really. He saved my life the first time we met and...well. He's trying to kill me."

Argeth sighed yet again. "We were friends, you know. If you told me back then when we were real close that he'd try to kill me one day...I woulda said you were nuts."

The faintest trace of a smile appeared, only to fade again. "We both did some bad things to, kid. We betrayed each other."

Cocoum's brow lifted in surprise at the 'each other' and he remained silent, eyes wide and almost fretful. What came next came as a bigger, more jolting surprise.

"And I was the one who betrayed him first. I was the one who caused him to betray me...and in a way, all of this could be my fault. Maybe not all of it...but a lot."

Cocoum had to ask. "What...what did you do?"

Argeth looked at him, right in the eyes. Cocoum blinked quietly.

The tale was long and intense. Like the memories that had fluttered through his mind, Argeth found himself almost reliving every moment of that day back when he was a teen. He could tell Cocoum thought his blaming Guver- Gutt was beyond betrayal, but the child said nothing.

A long silence took over them as the crickets fell silent and the flames became soft.

"I never thought..." Cocoum couldn't finish. Argeth understood, though.

"That I could be capable of something so cruel and mean-spirited?" Argeth dropped the stick into the fire. "A lot of things can happen when you're angry, Cocoum. But that isn't an excuse."

Cocoum looked back into the fire. "What will you do? If Gutt comes after us?"

Argeth was expressionless. "You leave it to me. It'll be alright, and plus, you don't have to worry."

The ape boy snorted. "Ya still think he wouldn't slice me open if he got the chance?"

"Yes. But don't annoy him."

"Oh...why not?"

"Cause it annoys everyone. Me, too. Now go to bed."

Cocoum smiled and turned away, making his way back to the cave. Heh...not annoying people? not gonna happen...

Then he stopped, another thought coming to him suddenly.

"What...what was Guver's kid like? I mean..." he trailed off. Argeth replied quietly.

"A girl. Natta. She would've been a teenager now, quite a bit older than you."

The fact that Gutt had been a father once...was less hard to believe. Oddly enough. Cocoum shook his head and continued back into the cave.

* * *

The smoke from the fire rose into the sky like the trees reaching for the heavens, almost lost in the dying light.

Not too far off from shore, A large, sinister iceberg drifted through the darkness, towards the island as quite as a predator as it snuck up on its prey.

Had the survivors known that they're warm, conforming fire was giving there position away quite clearly, they would've pounded it out without a second thought. But they didn't.

Gutt was standing at the top of the mast, his spyscoop held in a large, clawed hand as he scanned the beach, spotting their now abandoned vessel on the sure.

"Did those idiots really think they'd be safe once they reached land?" He asked himself as Silass landed beside him, grinning maliciously as he lowered his scope. "How convenient."

He chuckled darkly, his clawed fingers tapping against the mast he leaned on as the pirates below cackled lowly.

"get ready for your shore leave, lads!" Gutt announced, swinging down from above and landing next to his fist mate with a thud. "We're about to pay our friends a visit!"

"ARGH!"

Squint smirked to himself a little away from the group, glancing over at the beach. He couldn't wait to get his hands on that armadillo and pummel him (he'd leave that to the Captain given how much he hated him) and maybe...

He tried to believe that Clem would return, but it seemed uncertain if the armadillo died. His smirk faded slightly, but he held onto the hope that she'd come through with sea-life...and maybe the armadillo wouldn't die. Capitan Gutt seemed to like having him as his humiliated henchmen.

Squint cackled at that thought. That was much better...hah...


	34. Chapter 34

Sorry if it seems things are getting more serious, but I feel that's how all Ice age films have progressed...oddly enough.

Please review!

* * *

CHAPTER 34: ROCK TUMBLE.

_The day was bright and sunny. That always told him, even though he was too small and young to understand fully, that it was time to wake up. Yet his mother was still fast asleep, and he was bored._

_The tiny ape slipped out of his mothers arms and wandered around, large green eyes gazing in wonder at the oddly shaped clouds._

_He slipped across some of the branches, like his mother did, before he slipped suddenly._

_He gave a small yelp and slid down the winding trunk, but miraculously landed in a bush unharmed. _

_Despite his sudden fright, he was curious and exited. He'd never been down here without his mother before..._

_He began knuckle walking quickly albeit wobbling, warbling curiously up at the thick treetops. He didn't realise eyes were following, eyes that certainly weren't friendly._

_He wandered into a clearing, laughing as his hand slipped into a puddle, and he proceeded to splash about a bit more._

_He didn't notice the sinister shadow cast itself over him under it was almost too late. He saw the sun had suddenly vanished, and turned his head to find out why he spotted a large cat, the ones mother sometimes glared at from above, hissing down at the tiny form._

_He screamed and fled, the cat letting out a fierce roar as it came into pursuit. The toddler-ape slid around the bent, panting as he went faster. All he could think of was escaping, and he knew (though he didn't know why) that if this thing caught him, it would be bad._

_He reached another, rocky clearing and found that there was more of them. Crying out, he skidded to a halt and ended up falling on his side, whimpering as they closed in. One of them bent down, ready to pounce, and he wailed and curled up, expecting to feel those horrid teeth in his arm when he heard a shout._

_His mother tore into sight and beat the pouncing tiger as it flew towards him, sending it sprawling to the side as she snatched him up._

_But there was more of them, and, hitting them as she went, she ran over to a tree just high enough to keep her son out of their reach, but not big enough to hold both of them._

_She gently placed him there, and suddenly she was moving out of his sight, as were most of the tigers. He wailed a little in panic. She was coming back, right?_

_But she didn't. He waited, and waited untill the sun was higher. He could still here the last tigers, the ones who's stayed back, but they were hiding. They were waiting for him to come down._

_He began to sob silently. Then, he saw another had entered the area. A white bird with black bits covering him, glancing lazily about the clearing. The tiny ape laughed a little at the odd creature._

_Funny bird..._

_Then, the bird's eyes widened as yet another figure came into view. From his hidden place in the tree, the tiny ape say that it was a full-grown male of the same species...lighter in fur but larger than his mother had been, with oddly shaped head fur and a brooding look on his face._

_He was a little scared by that look as the adult knuckled-walked into the clearing- and the tiny child forgot to warn him about the tigers._

_Abruptly the two leaped out of the trees, growling fiercely behind him. The adult stopped and turned, glancing between the two of them with a scowl._

_One of them jumped at him and managed to hit his jaw. The tiny ape drew back, shivering- when suddenly the older ape whipped out a hand full of claws and sliced the saber's abdomen open, letting it collapse to the side._

_The young ape hid his eyes, crouching down. He peeked through his fingers and saw the other tiger free, and the older ape below laugh in a bitter, dark tone._

_Then, the gull from before swooped down and began talking to him. He couldn't hear nor understand what, but they left together._

_The tiny ape took a long time, after he'd climbed out of the tree and wandered off, to realize what had just happened._

_His mother was gone, and that other ape had unknowingly saved his life..._

* * *

Cocoum's eyes snapped open. His whole body was numb and stiff, and he felt totally shaken.

He hadn't expected to remember any of that. Shaking his head, the young ape sat up and rubbed his eyes, glancing around the cave. Everyone was asleep, and it seemed Argeth, who was still by the fire, was asleep as well.

The flames had toned down to orange embers, the bright light no longer visible. It was still very dark; The moonlight was the only source of light.

Cocoum sighed. He wasn't going to get anymore sleep tonight, that much he knew. So, he slowly knuckle-walked out of the cave and past the embers, careful not to disturb the others as he moved along the path.

When they had first found this place they had to travel up a hill, and the edge of the path wasn't too far from him, looking over some of the land below. The sea was visible over the treetops.

He sat down beside the ledge among some larger rocks, staring down over the land quietly. The crickets had returned and were whistling and chirping all about.

He placed his chin on his hand, his elbow resting on one knew. This was going to be a very long night...

That is. that's what he was thinking until his utter boredom was shattered by something moving through the trees. He froze and straightened up, leaning over the side of the mountain road with a frown, green eyes widening in disbelief.

It was them. Gutt and his crew.

His mouth closed slowly and he drew back. Uh, oh...better tell Argeth...

* * *

The pirates laughed quietly was they surrounded the clearing up the mountain's slope, the cave lit by a dying fire nearby. They could make out the shapes of their to-be victims inside, all completely unaware they were.

Gutt chuckled dangerously. This should be fun...

He lifted his fish-bone sword into the air and signaled with his other hand for his crew to follow. Then, they bust from the cover of the trees, right towards the cave, yelling and cackling.

But, just as they entered the shallow cave, Gutt halted. The figures they had seen weren't any mammal...they looked as if they were made of leaves-

"Hold it, you weevils! It's a diversion!" He shouted at them as they hurried towards him. But it was too late; They were already inside the cave.

Abruptly, from above, a voice shrieked:

"NOW!"

Then, a bombardment of rocks tumbled behind them, piling up along the exit to the cave until the entrance was half- way blocked. It wasn't enough to keep them trapped forever, but it was enough to slow them down.

Up above, standing on the top of the cave's mouth that extended from the rocky mountainside, Cocoum, Argeth and Lee slapped their palms together in triumph. Kurues, who from below had knocked some of the larger boulders into the pile, whooped jubilantly.

"We did it!"

CRASH.

They stared in utter shock and alarm as the largest bolder was literary pushed away from the cave entrance, then was shoved to the side like it weighed no more than that of an apple.

Maut clicked her teeth together. "Maybe we didn't..."

Gutt looked beyond furious, and he was standing were he'd just thrown the large rock away, panting dangerously. The other pirates ran out of the cave, brandishing their weapons as Gutt ordered in a gruff, dangerous voice.

"GET THEM!"

Kurues yelped and turned, darting back away as the pirates lunged. Maut flew beside him, eyes wide and shrieking.

Clementine and Glett had been hidden somewhere else, luckily, for they wouldn't have been able to outrun the armed seafarers.

Kurues and Maut fled the scene as Raz and Squint ran after them. Gutt growled lowly and looked over his shoulder to where Cocoum, Argeth and Lee stood, staring down at him with wide-eyed looks. Cocoum coughed.

"Aheh..._RUN!"_

Before they could, however, the rocky wall behind them cracked. Argeth jerked his head behind and looked up, watching as more boulders, ones they didn't intend to fall, began plummeting down.

"MOVE! GO!" He order as grabbed Lee roughly around the arm and dodged to the side, hurtling into a tree branch at the side just before a bolder could hit him. Cocoum was blocked from the same path because of this and turned to move the other way when-

_"Ow!"_

A seething pain traveled through his shoulder and arm as a particularly sharp rock collided his arm, and he was knocked off balance. He tumbled off the cave-top and promptly landed on Gutt's back, then almost bounced off onto the ground, clutching his arm and he curled up on the floor. He could hear Argeth yelling his name.

"Ow..." was all he could mutter in response. Gutt scowled down at him, reaching over to the youngster beside him, but before he could turn him over to see what had happened Argeth jumped onto his shoulder, burying a sharp rock into his back. Gutt hissed and promptly whipped around, hitting the armadillo across the face and throwing him away.

Cocoum had recovered, and was shaking his head as he quickly scrambled to his feet, limping as he tried to knuckle-walk. It wasn't happening, and he slipped onto his side again, this time crying out as his bleeding shoulder collided with the ground. Gutt looked over upon hearings him yell.

Cocoum gulped upon seeing him and held up his other hand as Gutt's frown creased. He was not the one to mess with right now, something the younger ape noted as he trembled a little, his head pounding from his collision with the ground,

"C'mon, man...I..."

before his sort-of-plea for mercy finished, Kurues whipped into view. It appeared he had double back, and Cocoum instinctively reached up with his good hand and wrapped it around his strong neck as he turned again, carrying the smallish ape with him as he leaped over Raz and Squint. Argeth rolled after him and hopped onto his back as well, looking over his shoulder at the furious crew.

"GET THEM, YOU BARNACLES!"

"ARGH!"

"Move!" Argeth called upon hearing this. Kurues nodded quickly and went faster, Cocoum clinging to him as the pain in his shoulder throbbed. He screwed his eyes shut as they went faster.

The pirates were still after the, but Kurues was going too fast and was too far ahead. As he neared a river, where they'd crossed on a log to find a place to hide Glett and Clementine, the elk thought of another idea.

"We'll wreck it once we're across!" he called over to Argeth. The armadillo responded instantly.

"Right!"

And so they crossed the log at lightning speed, Argeth hopping off his back and pulling Cocoum with him. Kurues leaped over to the side of the log and butted it with his hind legs as the pirates approached. The current would be too fats for them to handle; Even the seal (who was bouncing along on his weight like the whole thing was a game, waving a spoon like a knife.)

"Sorry, chums!" He grunted as he gave one last kick, sending the log whizzing down the current. "But I've had enough of you!"

"Aw, lookie!" Flynn stated, pointing at the log and clapping happily, completely unaware of his Captain's furious glare directed at the group across, who were now galloping away out of sight.

Flynn continued, also unaware that Gutt (and some of the other crew members) looked angry enough to kill him.

"It's swimmin' away! bye-bye, mista log!"

* * *

Lol, added in some humor to lighten things up.

Please review.


	35. Chapter 35

Please review...

* * *

CHAPTER 35: CLEMENTINE.

Cocoum was rested on the ground again as Kurues finally came to a stop, panting heavily. They'd ran non-stop for a while now- And they had no idea where Glett and Clementine had gone. It seemed they'd fled right after Glett had heard the ruckus. He must have carried Clementine with him on his back to safety.

Their original plan had been to meet up with Hogarth, Klue, Glett and Clementine at the river once they'd trapped Gutt and his crew in that cave; But the plan went hay-wire once the ape slammed his way out without breaking a sweat, adding to the survivors caution.

And Kurues couldn't shake the feeling they wouldn't give up on finding them. Cocoum was half-conscious now, having lost a lot of blood from his shoulder. He made sure the ape child was comfortable and turned to Argeth, who was scanning the area around them.

They had entered the cave-like shelter of a tree, its roots creeping over the mound of earth in this bumpy landscape. It was dark and quite inside the protection of the thick roots, and Kurues allowed himself to rest, setting himself down on the ground. Maut, who'd flapped non-stop throughout the run flopped beside him.

It was still very late in the night and the moon was clouded over. Argeth growled in frustration; they wouldn't be able to go and find Glett and Clementine without any light...

Maybe they'd found some place to rest. Glett and Klue were reliable enough, but Clementine and Hogarth...

"Maybe I should go after them" Argeth commented. He glanced over at some discarded branches sitting beside the tree, just outside the roots. Maybe I f he lit a fire...no...that would get Gutt's attention faster than Flynn's with a juicy fruit.

"I guess we'll wait till it's lighter. They can't have gone far..." He muttered. Lee, who had hung from Kurue's antler the whole time, said:

"Don't worry. Glett's good at keeping quite, and with that greeny shell o' his, he'll blend in nicely. We'll find 'um tomorrow..."

As the animals settled down and fell asleep (immediately one might add, that sudden dash had taken all of their energy) Cocoum shivered, curing up into a tighter ball. Argeth had bound his wound in some leaves, but it wasn't helping.

It was pure exhaustion that allowed him to fall asleep at last.

* * *

"Alright, you sorry sons of shark-bait weevils!"

The sun was lifting into the sky, and with it the Captain's anger levels.

The crew cringed slightly as Gutt paced back and forth, looking completely beyond the boiling point. Raz glanced to the side. Maybe letting them go wasn't going to be an option after all.

"I want you to search the island across that blasted river." He growled, though a smile was beginning to spread. After all, they'd entered this island many times in the past. They knew most of it off by heart...and it wasn't like those saps would be able to run forever.

"Whaddaya we do with 'em if we see them?" Squint inquired with a smirk, though Raz noticed a mirth in his eyes that no-one else did as the rabbit twirled his knife around.

Gutt grinned viciously as he turned back to them, shooting his arm out towards a nearby tree, effectely slicing the thrunk in two. "I don't really care what way you deal with then. But I want that elk and that runt of an armadillo_ back here, alive."_

He turned away, smile replaced by a sneer. "I want the pleasure of killing them both myself."

They crew chuckled raucously at this, Raz feeling a small spark of relief that her small, fair-furred friend had not been mention and thus not threatened.

Squint's smile seemed almost forced, though att he mention of the armadillo's doom, he laughed quietly (and in a manic way) to himself.

Raz rolled her eyes. Nuttjob...

* * *

Cocoum awoke the nest morning. He opened his eyes a crack, only to screw them shut again as the sunlight hit him, near blinding him. He raised a hand to shadow his eyesight as he looked around again, finding that the light was leaking through the roots in bright rays. Huh. Sorta cool looking now that he thought about it...

The young ape's arm was feeling oddly better. Maybe the wound hadn't been as bad as he'd thought before...

He sat up and stretched, yawning loudly until a stabbing pain in his shoulder alerted him that he was still injured. He lowered his arm, clutching it with his other hand when he noticed the cut was...closed. With...stitches? tight, straight stitches coated with some sort of herb-filled paste. His eyes widened.

"That won't heal if you keep touching it, you know."

Cocoum turned his head quickly to the entrance to the root-shelter, eyes widening.

_"Clem?"_

Clementine was standing there, her herb-bag slung around her shoulder and one paw on her hip, her ears slightly flopped and her frame looking a little thin, but healthier all the same.

She smiled brightly as Cocoum grinned widely in return. The others had awakened at th sound of voices, and where all staring at the doe. They broke into grins, too.

_"Clementine!"_

It had been a horrible time, expecting their friend to eventually die. It had seemed inevitable; She looked so frail and sickly it was like she was going out like the embers of a fire. It had been horrible to think that Clementine, the one that had kept the other survivors alive as they drifted out to sea, tending to their wounds and their troubles with hands and herbs that worked like magic, was fading away from them.

Now she was here looking close to a total recovery, smiling gently. Like she'd never left.

They swept over her like a wave, Cocoum wrapping an arm around her and lifting her up as Maut hugged her face, Argeth always thowing an arm around her and hugging her to his side as she looked up at him happily. Kurues bent down to eye-level, laughing.

"You're okay! Guys, she's okay!" He exclaimed. Argeth rolled his eyes.

"No kidding, genius."

"I see your personalities are all still in tact." Clementine laughed as she was released from their group hug. "And your relationships, too."

There was a familiar agreeing grunt from nearby, and the group turned to find Hogarth parched on Glett's shell, the two smiling brightly. Klue was beside them, waving.

"Hey, guys!" Hogarth said as their lemur friend hopped up to them quickly, proceeding to give Klue a friendly noogie.

"We knew ya wouldn't die on us, possum-boy!"

"Lee, get off! ow!"

Maut giggled happily from Clementine's shoulder. "We're all save and sound, Y'all!"

That reminded her. Clementine turned and looked over at Argeth to inquire:

So...how did we all get here? what happened?"

Lee hopped on Argeth's head before he could answer, smiling in a cheeky manner.

"We're being hunted by the pirates like _fish by a shark." _He commented jubilantly. "We dropped a bolder on that Gut guy, but he flicked it away. And now we're hiding for a lives!"

Clementine's eyes widened and her mouth set itself in a surprised, doubtful 'o' shape.

"..."

* * *

Hah.

Please Review...


	36. Chapter 36

D:

Not been getting many reviews lately...

Then again, I am posting at one hundred miles an hour...that only reason for that is now the quick updates REALLY have to slow down. Actually they should be slowing down right now...oh well.

Please review, you awesome people.

* * *

CHAPTER 36: KNEW IT.

Squint zigzagged across the trail, knife at the ready, eyes flickering about. One would say that this particular movement of whipping from side-to-side was unnecessary and might even take up more time, but if you said that to this particular rabbit you'd find out what tomatoes feel like in a salad.

The rabbit glanced about the trees once he entered an odd looking clearing filled with oddly shaped rocks; something he didn't really pay attention to. He couldn't wait to deal with that armadillo for pushing him around...The Captian did say that he wanted the older mammal back alive, but he didn't specifically say unharmed, did?

"Haha.." Squint remarked to himself, twirling his dagger between his fingers as he wandered around. Suddenly, there was a snap from somewhere in the trees, and he stood stock still.

There was silence. He grinned wickedly, turning to the place he'd heard it come from. There was a short intake of breath soon after. His grin spread even more.

Bingo...

* * *

Clementine had made her way off to gather more herbs. It seemed she was running out, and after spending so long away from land without any source of plant, she suspected as much.

She found to her great surprise and relief that many of the plants here resemble that of her homeland. They couldn't be too far from their original continent. Yet, many plants remained unknown to her and she made sure to stay clear of them.

Argeth had warned her about running into the pirates; It was something they should all avoid fort he moment while they gathered their bearings and thought of a plan.

As she thought about the pirate crew, her mind went back to a certain hyperactive buck she'd left on the boat, and something her chest gave a sharp pull. That had been incredibly mean...no doubt about that. It was odd, but the fact that Squint may have really liked her back stuck to her mind like glue (though another part of her was pounding her head and saying it was obvious, and so was the fact she felt the same...)

Those last thoughts hit home. Oh, dear...Argeth was going to kill her for this...

She sat down in a rocky clearing and buried her head in her paws, sighing in frustration. And if they did really like each other (her thoughts shouted loudly in her subconscious that the 'if' was completely unnecessary by now) what then? He belonged on the sea among the other pirates...he'd been there too long to return to land with her now. At least, she thought so. And she could tell he loved his life on sea and wouldn't ever leave his crew whom he was loyal to. Gutt wouldn't be happy about it...

And she simply couldn't go back onto sea with him. The fact was...she would die.

_Bluntness much, Clem?_

She rested her shin on her paw and groaned loudly. This wasn't going well...

Abruptly her long ears caught a sound. The unmistakably swishing sound of a knife. The doe's body went rigid as the sound came closer, and instinctively she darted away from the plain sight of the clearing and hid quietly behind a tree as whoever was wielding the knife waltzed in. Clementine took a step, aiming on getting away from here when a twig snapped beneath her foot.

She gasped in horror, then slapped her paws over her mouth in equal horror to what she'd just added onto her list of stupid accidents.

She waited silently, heart pounding and her paws clamped over her mouth.

She waited. Time passed.

Just when she began to relax, letting her paws fall from her mouth, a grey paw reached around and grabbed her arm, pulling her from her hiding place. She squealed sharply and screwed her eyes shut, holding up an arm to shield herself as whoever had caught her pulled her forward.

"Aha! Got...ya?"

Huh? wait a second...

Her eyes snapped open and she looked up to find a very dumb-founded Squint staring at her holding his dagger up. He promptly dropped it once realizing it was her.

"S-Squint?" She stammered, just as shocked as he was to see her. How...what...? how did he?

Suddenly he smiled and jumped forward (something that startled her a little) and flung his arms around her waist, lifting her up. Clementine gasped quickly before giving away to a giggle as he spun her around in the air. She felt a little dizzy about it and he was spinning amazingly fast, but she left that out.

"Whoa, I found ya!" He exclaimed loudly as he set her back down, the doe stumbling a little. She laughed uncertainly as she tried to regain her balance.

"Yes, you did..." Suddenly his arms were around her again and she had just a second to turn her head up curiously before he pressed his lips against hers. This time it was her turn to nearly jump in surprise, but she decided not to. Instead, she flung her arms around his shoulders and pressed back gently as a smile pulled on his face.

They held together for a while before pulling away. Clementine still felt dizzy, but whether it was from the sudden kiss of the twirling she'd never know. She honestly couldn't believe both of them were alright with this...like the awkwardness had decided to flew south. Now that she was complaining...the warm feeling in her heart was back again.

"Well, you don't look all sick anymore." He commented as she snuggled her head under his chin, his arms still around her. Clementine sighed softly at the mention of her illness.

"Hmm. Started getting better the second I reached land, actually..." Her voice faded away. She was immensely happy to see him again, but her recent worries had returned to her mind.

"What's wrong?" The other rabbit asked, suddenly feeling cautious. He hadn't done anything to upset her again, did her? come on...

"Nothing...it's just..." She sighed as they pulled away so they could see each other clearly. She was trouble for words. She decided to go for the major issue at the moment.

"About the other pirates and..."

Squint shrugged, crooked grin returning. "Actually Captain's not really bothered 'bout most of you now. I mean, as long as ya don't try anything..."

The sentence echoed in her mind and she began playing with one ear worriedly. "What do you mean...most of us?"

Squint glanced away awkwardly. "Did I say that? heh..." He looked back at her and almost had a heart attack.

Clementine had folded her arms and had began tapping her foot, her face lowered and eyes dangerous and questioningly. He gulped. That look was enough to get a shark turn tail and bolt.

"Um...er..." He couldn't help it. "He's after the elk and armadillo, okay? stop looking at me like that..."

Clementine's fierce expression had melted like ice over fire the second the first part of his answer was said. She bit her lip, fiddling with her ear again.

Squint shuffled awkwardly on the spot. Uh, oh...not good.

"But..uh...don't worry!" He said, getting her attention again "I don't think he'll actually kill them...I mean, he didn't last time. He liked having them around as henchman."

He didn't really believe that, and the doe opposite him didn't seem to either.

Clementine scowled at the floor. "I see..."

She sighed again, rubbing her eyes. Oh, dear. Gutt was really mad now...

"So..where is the armadillo and elk now?" Squint asked. Clementine stiffened. Telling him now was a bad, bad idea...though she hated to lie to him, she had to.

"We parted ways once we got on land. I mean...that was the original deal..." It was a long shot, and Squint looked skeptical fro a second before shrugging it off.

"Oh. Ah, well."

Clementine gave a silent breath of relief, still staring at the ground. Squint noticed that.

"Ya sure you're okay?" He asked. Clementine smiled brightly.

"Is that concern I hear from a pirate?" She asked teasingly. Squint went rigid, ears shooting up. Male pride, more fragile and vulnerable than a spec of snow...

"No!" He growled indignantly. Like she suspected, his nose wiggled furiously. Clementine giggled.

"Stop it! That's not cool!" He said loudly, poking her in the stomach. This only proved to make her laughter increase. He scowled, flustered until she exclaimed:

"Stop it, that tickled!" Her giggled stopped short. Uh, oh...

She turned her head and saw Squint baring a look that of pure wickedness. Her eyes widened. Oh, crud...

"Squint, don't you _dare-"_

She broke off in a yelp as Squint jumped on her abruptly and began tickling her. She struggled qucikly but couldn't get free.

"Q-quit it! I can't-" She broke off into another batch of laughter. Squint cackled triumphantly.

"There's no escape! the tickle-torturer is relentless!"

"Get off!"

Squint did relent eventually, stepping back so Clementine could (try anyway) to stand back up, still giggling slightly.

"Don't ever...don't ever do that...again..." She gasped, leaning on a tree trunk beside them. Squint laughed in a exasperated evil fashion. Clementine frowned. He would probably do it again...

"Anyway, I'm starving." Squint announced as he began wondering off. Clementine watched him as he went him as he went "I'm gonna go find some berries."

Clementine rose a brow. "You know where to find them?"

"Sure." Squint replied, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Been here before lots of times. Ya comin'?"

Clementine hesitated. Cocoum's wound didn't need to be treated for a while, and the others knew she was okay...maybe a little while wouldn't hurt.

"Okay, then." She agreed finally. Squint smiled brightly, as he continued on. Clementine followed after him, unaware that a certain bat had flown onto a tree a few minutes ago.

* * *

"I totally knew it..."

Maut almost needed to wipe a tear away from her eyes, but her grin was too big for her to shed any tears at all. Argeth had sent her to check on Clementine, and she'd found she was more than okay.

_Totally __**knew**__ this would happen...cute lil' lovebunnies. Maybe Args doesn't need to know for a while..._

* * *

_Please review...you finally got the reunion._


	37. Chapter 37

In the juungle, the might-y jungle, he li-on sleeps to-nigggggghhhhht...

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* * *

CHAPTER 37: A DEADLY GAME IS HIDE AND SEEK.

The tiny guinea-pig like creatures knew whenever the pirates showed up on their island, things couldn't be good.

Usually it was to either store their food or retrieve more if they hadn't bumped into any sorry unfortunates in the past month; But whenever they did it was usually the little Hyraxes usually ended up paying the price.

Right now they were being forced to repair some of the ship as it seemed it had suffered some damage...though they did not understand these pirates' way of speaking, one or two of their numbers had an idea that instead of them attacking someone, someone had gone attacking them.

That thought alone gave them a small hope, but also a little pity. It also seemed these brave yet stupid animals were one this island at that large, hand-for-foot creature was not happy with what they'd done...

WHIP

"Move ya little runts!" Gutt ordered gruffly, cracking the whip down again. It didn't strike them this time (too much force would kill these little saps for sure, and what use would that be?) but it was enough to get the message through as a high-pitched chorus of 'eeks' echoed through the coast.

Raz was using two of them as a mop (something that did not hurt the little runts at all, but squished them slightly) as she smoothed out the cracked deck, barring her teeth.

She felt like killing that elk for firing the catapults at them, leaving them with all this work. Granted the hyraxes were doing most of it, but oh well.

"Hey, they're carrying food like lil' ants!" Flynn remarked from nearby, chewing on an apple happily. Gupta, who was positioned nearby, exchanged annoyance looks with Silass. The two had come back from scouting, having found nothing and had decided to take a break for a while.

This time they all jumped once Gutt cracked the whip down; Probably because he was glaring at them. Then, he forced a smile. "Oh, Sorry lads, where you_ relaxing?"_

His sarcastic tone cut through any bravery they may of had like a knife as Gutt cracked the whip down again. Getting the message, Silass and Gupta took off again, double time as Gutt shouted a second before:

"Get moving!"

Raz gripped the mop stiffly. He was_ not_ in a good mood...

* * *

"A-whimba-way, A-whimba-way, A-whimbay-way..."

Lee hopped up and down with every syllable, bouncing from one side to the other as he and the other misfits wandered down the path near the sea. Cocoum had decided to sneak out with them despite still having a sore arm. (Clementine would kill him if she found out.)

Klue wasn't present as he was scouting the place with Argeth. The armadillo figured that being the most responsible (and eldest) boy in the group he'd be more reliable.

What the armadillo did not figure, however, was that he'd just taken away the most responsible member of the misfit band, thus resulting in them sneaking off to check the island out.

"A-whimba-way, A-whimba-way, A-whimbay-way..."

Cocoum rolled his eyes and finally reached over and knocked the smaller primate off balance.

"Cut it out, will you?"

"Hey!" Lee snapped up at him, scowling. "Ya ruined my solo!"

"It was getting annoying..." Hogarth remarked from the side, earning him a grin from the ape and a glare from the lemur.

"Why are all of ya against my singing? jeez..."

"Because..." Cocoum drawled, rolling his eyes again as he knuckle-walked past "It sounds like something's dying!"

Hogarth snorted as he followed him, leaving Lee a little bit behind. The lemur growled and scampered after them as they neared the cliff-like part of the path. Though the height wasn't so bad, and there was water below encase they fell, the three froze upon spotting the last thing any of them wanted to see.

Down below was the pirates, or at least some of them, gathered on their ship. It appeared they were repairing it or, as Cocoum frowned and took a closer look, getting little guinea-pig like things to do it for them.

"What they heck..." He muttered. A moment later Lee gasped, pointing at something. He looked over with a slight pang of panic only to find the lemur staring at a hole in a log. He scowled.

"Wha..." Suddenly a pair of wide, curious eyes appeared in the darkness, staring straight at them. Cocoum rose a brow as Hogarth edged behind him and the lemur slightly.

Then, the creature hurried out to stand in front of them. It was a small, chubby looking creature with reddish-fur, full cheeks and bright eyes. Cocoum gave it a bemused look as it held out a fruit towards him.

"Um...thanks?" He accepted the fruit and placed it on Hogarth's head for no reason in particular and looked back at the tiny creature to find about ten more had slipped out of the bushes. "Whoa..."

He glanced at the side, down at the pirates ship. Huh...aren't those little guys the same ones as...

"Huh. Guess you don't like the much either." He commented as the little creatures babbled in a language he couldn't understand. He offered a small, friendly smile. Then, the creature looked a little worried as it glanced back and forth between him and the ship.

Cocoum tilted his head. "What is it?"

The small mammal pointed down at Gutt, then gestured up at him curiously. Cocoum tried to understand what he meant, but didn't catch it. Lee faced-palmed heavily.

"Dude, I think he's wondering if that's your Dad down there."

Cocoum's eyes widened. "What? no!" He shook his head for emphasis, frowning deeply. The little creature looked relieved and nodded happily.

Suddenly a gull cry from above startled all of them. Cocoum looked up and spotted Silass flying over their heads. He was too high to tell for sure if he'd sen them, but the little red creatures had retreated into the cover of the bushes.

"Move it!" Cocoum hissed, and the three quickly hurried beneath a tree, ducking behind some large bushes. Cocoum clutched his arm, now hurting drown the sudden dash. He'd been such an idiot...

And now Silass was circling this area; He could spot him through the leaves, just a little.

"What now?" Hogarth murmured. Cocoum sighed. It was ironic how he was the youngest here and was no being dumped with all the responsibility.

"We wait him out, I guess." He muttered quietly.

After all, it was all they could do.

* * *

Clementine found the berries were actually quite nice as she sat with Squint on a rock nearby the bush they'd found them in. They weren't any she'd had before, but they were clearing safe as Squint was swallowing them one after the others. She laughed quietly.

"You're going to get hiccups." She remarked. Granted he was fast on his feet but he couldn't speed his eating, no matter how hungry he appeared to be. He shrugged indifferently.

"Will not. I never-" He broke off in a hiccup, slapping his hands over his mouth. Clementine burst out laughing.

He scowled over at her sourly. Maybe he should tickle-torture her again to give something to laugh about...

"Oogoga?"

He almost jumped out of his skin and something prodded him in the side. He jumped up, giving a yelp and shipping his dagger out, pointing it between the eyes of a wide-eyed hyraxe. Clementine's jaw dropped open at how adorable it looked.

"Aw..." She murmured silently before realizing how furious Squint looked.

"Well at least you don't have hiccups anymore." She remarked brightly, one finger in the air. Squint looked just about to retort on how that was possible when he realized the small creature had given him a fright.

Wait...no creature could give him a fright!

He growled at the guinea-pig like creature with malice. "I'm gonna-"

Clementine literary had to tackle him and he lunged at the oblivious, smiling hyraxe.

"Lemme at 'um!"

"Squint, it's not worth it!" Clementine muttered in exasperation as she dragged him off. Squint looked over his shoulder as the doe dragged him along by the scruff. Huh, she could be strong when she was angry...

* * *

Don't mess with the bunny.

Please review!


	38. Chapter 38

PLEASE READ.

Alright people, I really feel as if people like the story between Clem and Squint more than the rest; Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have written it if I didn't want to, I just feel as if people are paying too much attention.

Are folk not really interested in the other stuff? I might just be worrying too much...

But, Please review!

* * *

CHAPTER 38: THE GAME IS OVER.

Silass gave a conniving grin as he circled the area around the trees. They youngsters had quickly retreated into what they thought was shelter from his gaze. But it was too late; He'd seen all three of them.

Chuckling to himself, the gull turned in the air sharply and headed away from the iceberg ship. He'd made it look like he hadn't see them by moving further away, but no retreating back to the ship until he was out of their line of sight.

As he swooped down to where Gutt was pacing, Shira and the ape glanced up expectantly. Raz straightened up and leaned on her new spear, frowning curiously as he landed quickly on a branch above, his smirk widening.

"Good news, Captian." He drawled "Some of the little misfits are hiding up in the trees up the cliff." He turned his gaze over slightly but didn't look over. "They do not know I've seen them yet..."

He explained that Cocoum, the lemur and the molehog had hidden among the trees, and had seemingly been watching what they'd been doing on the ship.

"They may still be up there now." The gull added.

Gutt grinned darkly, speaking in a rough, low tone "Then they won't run too fast...and they won't know what hit 'im."

Shira frowned question. "But the elk and armadillo aren't there, are they?"

"No." Gutt shrugged in indifference, smile still in place. "But surely those saps will be when they find those little brats have gone missing...make sure one of them gets away, though. After all, we need one of them to tell the others what bring me the ape kid. That'll get the armadillo over here for sure..."

* * *

Cocoum, Lee and Hogarth crouched behind a rock, watching the ship below with equal frowns. Silass had returned after a while...and it didn't look like he'd seen them. If he did, wouldn't they have come after them by now? Cocoum sighed.

He couldn't see their expressions from here and thus didn't know what they were saying.

"We should leave." He hissed, drawing back from the rock and quietly beginning to slip away, ignoring the increasing pain in his arm. Lee hurried after him, Hogarth looking back at the ship once before following. If he'd looked longer he would've noticed that Shira and Raz were no longer present. But he didn't.

Cocoum took the lead despite his sore arm, looking over his shoulder att he other two,

"We'd better get back before-"

Abrutply a figure leaped in front of them, growing fiercely as another hopped behind them. Hogarth gave a loud squeak and jumped around to face a scowling Raz, spread in hand, as Cocoum and Lee drew back from Shira, who advanced slowly towards them.

"Holy Crab!" Lee squeaked, holding onto Cocoum's arm in a frightened frenzy This momentarily distracted the young ape and he shook his good arm to flick him off.

"Please don't kill us!" Hogarth yelped, as he and Cocoum came back-to back with each other, both of them trapped. Lee shivered beside them, glancing between Shira and Raz.

"Which one 'ill we let run?" Raz inquired, spear pointed just beneath Hogarth's chin. He whimpered quietly. Cocoum glared back at Shira with equal fierceness but his eyes widened upon hearing this remark.

"What?"

Shira ignored him and glanced at the molehog, before answering in a dangerous yet calm voice, "Let the molehog go. He'll travel faster."

Hogarth glanced around in alarm and confusion. "What are you talking about?" He exclaimed in a high-pitched tone, looking over his shoulder at Cocoum for some sort of explanation. They young ape could give none.

Suddenly, relying only on the element of surprise, Cocoum leaped back, catching Hogarth by the arm and making sure Lee was still holding onto his shoulder (the lemur had attached himself there again after Shira gave him a menacing growl.)

He butted Raz using his good shoulder, an attack the kangaroo hadn't been expecting and, despite his young age that hadn't reached adolescence yet, Cocoum was quite strong.

Raz was knocked over as Cocoum landed, instinctively using his other arm to steady himself, forgetting for a second that it was injured.

He remembered it the hard way as a horrible pain short through it and it gave away beneath him, and he slid towards the edge of the precarious cliff. Lee yelled loudly as Hogarth gasped. Cocoum saw that his back began tipping backwards and was about to fall, so he hastily threw Hogarth away as Lee had fallen off during the jump.

Then, he toppled over the side, yelling. Hogerth raised a paw out and shouted at the top of his voice:

_"COCOUM!"_

Gutt stiffed and halted his angry pacing, eyes widening curiously as he looked over his broad shoulder towards the cliff looking over the ship. Silass's beak was ajar as he stared as well. Gutt scowled and moved suddenly, ignoring the surprised look from the gull as he went.

Cocoum hit his back off the side of the cliff and, after a few split seconds of terrifying decent, he managed to shoot out his good arm and grab hold of a thick, hanging root embedded in the rocky side. He hung there, gasping as he stared down at the water below, winded by the hit against the cliff side. He coughed, screwing up his eyes and looking back up the cliff. It was too far from him to climb up with this arm.

Raz leaned over the side and spotted the smallish ape hanging dangerously over the rocky sea below. If he fell there was only a small chance he'd miss the rocks; And even then, apes weren't very good swimmers. And that arm didn't help.

Hogarth knelt by the side, forgetting that his enemies were nearby as he called down.

"Cocoum! hang on, we'll get help!"

Cocoum shook his head, glaring up at him. "Just get out of here before..."

CRACK.

Cocoum gasped, actually terrified beyond believe as the root broke, leaving him hanging by no more than a thread-like structure. He screwed his eyes shut as the root finally gave away and he plummeted down, heart leaping. Lee and Hogarth cried out from above.

He dropped into the water, feeling the shock of the ice-cold temperature and accidents swallowing a large amount. His arm pounded with a horrible pain and he struggled as much as he possible could- but his head felt dizzy and his lungs were bursting. He sunk down, his lungs just about to give away.

His mind became foggy as an arm wrapped around his waist and lifted his out of the water before he could sink too far, lifting him out of the cold sea and pulling him away. Cocoum was half-conscious and barely alive.

He was placed surprisingly gently on a cold, icy surface and he curled up in a ball, covering most of his face with his arms and coughing raucously, ridding the water from his lungs that he'd accidents inhaled.

He lay there, feeling beyond exhausted and breathing heavily. The water was gone from his lungs, and it seemed he'd escaped drowning by a dark hair. Still, he curled up tighter and kept his eyes screwed shut, his mind and hearing blurred and hazy.

"Is he alright? he's all cough-y"

Flynn? Wha...

Cocoum coughed again, his head still hidden behind his arms, eyes held shut. There was a sigh from beside him as a hand was placed on his head, turning it towards them. Cocoum barely managed to open his eyes a crack, and found to his great alarm that Gutt was frowning down at him. Upon seeing his eyes open, Gutt rolled his eyes irritably and released him, moving away. Cocoum turned his head and closed his eyes again, curling up even tighter as another coughing fit racked his body.

"Yeah, he's fine. Now make sure Shira gets back here. I'm getting tired of this blasted game of hide-and-seek..."

As consciousness faded away from him, Cocoum couldn't help but think to himself:

_Did he...save my live?_

_Again?_

_Huh..._

* * *

_Please review!_


	39. Chapter 39

PLEASE READ BEFORE CONTINUING.

Yes, Gutt was the one who rescued Cocoum. I should have made it more clear. The ship wasn't too far away from the cliff, and Gutt had climbed onto the rock face himself and pulled Cocoum out of the water. Cocoum managed to kick up through the water just high enough for Gutt to reach him, so that's how he was able to rescue him himself. Sorry for confusion caused by this.

Please review.

* * *

CHAPTER 39: SUNDOWN

Hogarth travled underground like faster than he'd ever before, whipping along the trail as fast as he possible could, eyes wide and fearful. Somewhere above Lee was swinging along the branches, having evaded capture by the distracted pirates.

After seeing Gutt pull Cocoum from the water (surprisingly enough...it seemed the elder ape had climbed onto the rock face himself from the land nearby the boat as it wasn't too far away) and they heard the young ape coughing and signalling he was alive, the two had fled to get help. Though the guilt settled in with ever movement they made away from their kidnapped friend, Hogarth kept trying to reassure himself that this was the right thing to do.

But it was also what the pirates seemingly wanted...given the fact they were going to let him run before Cocoum made a break for it.

He and Lee returned back at the root-constructed cave once the sun began to set and found Argeth was pacing back and forth before it, Klue biting his nails nervously from nearby. The other survivors were gathered around, watching them uneasily. It was clear they'd been worrying that something like this had happened.

They all looked over in alarm as Hogarth burst from his tunnel in the soil, stumbling in his haste. Lee swung down form the tree above and scrambled towards them as the molehog regained him balance.

"They-I- We were..."

"Cocoum- he tried to and then- argh!" Lee threw up his hands in pure despair. Argeth startled expression hardened and his brow creased.

"What. Happened?" He asked, teeth effectively barred in frustration, though panic was settling in his eyes.

Hogarth finally managed to spit it out. "Gutt's got _Cocoum!"_

There was a horrified, collected intake a breath from all about as this news sank in. Argeth clenched his fists and stared at the ground as the others began rattling on about rescue and how dangerous it would be, but the armadillo remained silent.

_You know what Guver's doing. He knows you and the kid get on well enough, and if he was in danger you'd help._

_But Guver wouldn't hurt him. He'll just make it seem that way..._

_Really. Look at him. He's not your friend anymore..._

Argeth took a deep, calming breath and sighed, head lowered. One question remained.

Was he willing to take the chance and call his bluff?

As the group quickened and turned to the armadillo for guidance, Argeth slowly looked up, hardening his nerves as much as he could.

The answer was simple now.

And it was 'No'

* * *

"How come you got really sick, anyway? I mean..."

Squint watched curiously as Clementine's expression became uneasy. They were traveling through the path quietly when he'd decided to ask this. The truth was, the sun was setting and he'd finally remembered that his crew would be getting down to business once they found the armadillo (something he was meant to be doing, but they didn't need to know what he'd really been doing...) and after that, well...

Clementine wouldn't be happy if she found out the armadillo- or the elk for that matter- was dead, yet the Captain was so dead set on it. It worried him though he'd never admit it, and that wasn't the only thing bugging him.

He couldn't help but feel if Clementine went back onto sea, she'd get sick again.

In other words, they were in a tight spot...

"Squint..." Her voice was soft and almost hurt. She halted in the middle of the path, paws clasped together. She didn't look fretful...just unhappy. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"I...I'm not very strong, you know that?" She murmured. Squint shrugged, smiling uneasily. He knew wht he meant, but tried not to think about it.

"Er...I think your strong..."

"Physically, no." Though she smiled at the comment, it faltered and she lowered her head. It honestly couldn't be helped, but...

"I can't ever go back onto sea." She tried to avoid his gaze, but couldn't for very long. What she saw pulled her heartstrings until they almost snapped.

Squint's ears had flopped and he was staring at the floor, eyes unusually wide and equal in size. He looked incredibly hurt, and it almost didn't seem to suit his features. Clementine sniffed quietly. He finally looked back at her, looking as if he was struggling to say something. It was almost too much for her to deal with. Heck, it was too much for her to deal with...but it couldn't be helped...and he couldn't stay here.

"I...won't ask you to stay..." Her voice cracked a little. Squint looked away again, fists clenched. She honestly didn't know what to say to him.

Argeth had probably seen this coming.

"_Clem!_ Clementine!"

Both rabbits jumped as a familiar dark figure swooped in from the pinkish sky towards them, promptly slamming into Clementine and knocking the doe of her feet.

Maut jumped on her stomach, looking darn near hysteric as she shouted.

"You have to come, NOW, we are in, BIG. TROUBLE!"

Clementine blinked in bemusement. "Wha...what?" Panic set in instantly as Maut's tone and she continued "What's going on?!"

Maut took an enormous, shaking breath, something that would have been funny under any other circumstance, and replied:

"Gutt. Has. Cocoum. And he's using him as a hostage!"

Clementine's ears dropped and Squint rose a brow in surprise, muttering, "Huh?"

Maut looked over at him, rolling her eyes. "Yeah! and you'd better beat it, cuz we gotta go. Sorry fo' spoiling y'all little date, by the way. C'mon, Clemmy!"

Squint scowled suddenly, looking over at Clementine as she hastily got to her feet. "Hang on a second, I thought you'd split up!"

Clementine stiffed for a second, eyes wide. She said nothing, and Squint's ears popped up in agitation, and his scowl deepening. "Did ya _lie _to me?"

Maut held a hand to her mouth, eyes wide as she glanced between them "Oooohhhh..."

Clementine shuddered under his offended gaze, before saying the only thing that came to mind.

"Pirate."

It summed it all up; The fact that she'd spent weeks among the scurviest crew of pirates in the history of the animal kingdom and it had probably told her that she was the most honest person on the earth compared to them. Heck, who wasn't?

Squint stared at her, a squinted eye twitching curiously before letting out a short laugh, grinning.

"Hah. Not bad."

Clementine smiled brightly as Maut rolled her eyes. "Parties ova, bunnies. Bye, bye, dude!"

She dashed through the air and shoved the grey buck into the bushes in order to distract him. He wasn't hurt, but he was momentarily tangled in. Clementine was about to help him when Maut stopped her.

"He's not on our side! this is makin' it easier for the both of ya! c'mon!"

Clementine knew she was right. This was Squint at least had an excuse for them getting away, and he wasn't betraying the pirate crew.

She ran off, calling over her shoulder. "Sorry!"

"Ya better be!" He called after her- though no threat was present in his tone. Clementine turned her attention to the matter at hand. Cocoum? why would he wander off with that scar?

"Oh, I'm going to kill him!" She muttered as she sped after Maut. What a stupid thing to do...and what was Argeth planning?

Clementine knew the only way she was going to find out was getting back to the others as they sky began to darken like the situation at hand. As the sundown commenced, Clementine couldn't help but think to herself fretfully:

_I have a horrible feeling about this..._

* * *

Lol, Maut did an impression of that cat from Puss in boots.

Ooooooohh...

Please review!


	40. Chapter 40

_Please review. I fell so emotional and sad writing this, people. I think the end may be approaching JUST approaching, not around the corner._

* * *

CHAPTER 40: SUNRISE

Clementine halted her run upon entering the ring of survivors. The darkness had fallen as night came to live, the moon clouded over by unfeeling clouds as the chill of the evening crept over their shoulders. A fire had been lit in the center; Agreth had figured that the pirates wouldn't attack them now as they had them right where they wanted them. Argeth looked over at her, sighing in exasperated relief.

"You took your time." He muttered in a stony fashion. Clementine stammered, fiddling with her ear but he quickly cut her off. She knew her reason, Maut had made it clear with her gossiping "Save it for now. It doesn't matter."

Kurues glared at the fire coldly, brow creased and hooves digging into the soil beneath him. There was a long, uncertain pause.

"So what now?" Hogarth asked in a soft, uncertain voice. Clementine decided to add in some info she'd found out from an oblivious Squint.

"I think he's really only after you and Argeth, Kurues..." He murmured. Kurues looked like he was going to make some sort of valiant reply before a hard, cold voice broke through.

_"No."_

They turned to look at Argeth. The armadillo's firm, creased brow remained in a frown, his fists clenched and his whole frame still as if it had been frozen. He looked around them, glancing at each individual before his eyes met Clementine's.

"He wants me. That's what."

The animals exchanged bewildered, doubtful glances. Clementine shook her head in confusion, asking the 64 thousand dollar question that everyone had on their minds.

"Why?"

Argeth sighed deeply, unclenching his fists. His expression was...remorseful.

"We knew eachother once. A long, long time ago."

There was a silent series of shocked looks when these words sunk in, but the spell-bound animals did not say a word as he continued.

"I...asked foolishly once. Something happened...and I blamed him for it. We hated each other after that. He was never there for me again...and I wasn't ever there for him."

He raised his head and looked at them all, shaking his head slightly, his voice hoarse yet soft.

"I don't know. Maybe things could have been different. Maybe we wouldn't be here right now."

There was yet another long, tension-filled silence. He added on, slowly and quietly:

"I'm sorrow I failed you all." He closed his eyes and lowered his head.

"...That's absolute rubbish."

He looked up in genuine surprise. Kurues had hit his hoof down, a firm, serious look adorning his long face. "You saved our lives. You guided us through all of this, all the time risking your neck in order to keep us all alive. You're our friend, Argeth. You're a good mammal. And if anyone says otherwise they're_ barking mad_." The elk offered a firm yet kind smile as Glett grunted in his usual agreeing way, nodding his head.

Clementine wandered over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, looking him straight in his deep, dark eyes. "I'd be dead right now if you hadn't been here." She murmured softly. He slowly took her paw off his shoulder and held it firmly in both of his paws. A smile had formed on his lips, but his eyes remained dull.

"Thank you. All of you." He looked up at all of them, but his gaze soon returned to hers.

"But I know what I have to do." He left Clementine's paw fall from his and he returned his own to his sides. Clementine shook her head, tears sprinkling.

If Argeth went to that ship, he would surely die. They couldn't bear to think it, a live without Argeth now after everything that had happened.

It seemed a lifetime ago that they'd leaped onto that boat together, hitting the cold, icy surface as they drifted away from their crumbling home; Drifting away from their old lives. They fought, they endured and they struggled to survive, slowly turning from reluctant survivors...into a herd.

This sarcastic, no-nonsense armadillo was the co-leader, the one who waited to hear the leader's idea just so he could put in a more sharpened version of his own. He made sure nothing stupid happened, he was always so sure.

They were unsteady without him. He was the firm root in their tree...and now here they were, faced with the horrible thought that he would be gone forever.

Clementine gasped in a short sob, tears spilling over her eyes. "No, Argeth..." She whispered.

Kurues stammered. "We can...we can trick them somehow!" He seemed to light up.

Argeth shook his head. "No. Even if we did manage to trick them...Gutt'll still find a way to try to get at me. And he won't mind killing you all just to do that. He won't stop."

Clementine began sobbing, and the armadillo felt something pull in his heart. The animals around were mumbling protests as he stepped back away from the fire.

"I need to finish what I started." He told them quietly. Kurues moved forward a little.

"Don't start with this, Argeth. We should..." He sighed. "How about we get some rest...and we'll figure out what to do tomorrow. Come on..."

They all waited, holding their breaths. Clementine clasped her paws together, staring at him. Argeth stared around the group with an unreadable expression, until he smiled gently.

"Alright."

There was a collective cheer and he found himself bundled into a group hug, all of his friends chattering at once. Clementine threw her arms around his side and hugged him close, and for a moment he was again reminded of his sister. His smile frozen in place, he placed his paw on her head and silently begged.

He silently begged for forgiveness.

* * *

Cocoum awoke that night feeling cold, sore and stiff. He coughed roughly, doubling over slightly as his coughs echoed through the air. Memories of what had happened flickered through his mind and he groaned.

Brilliant. Just darn brilliant...

He shook his head, trying to flick his head fur out of his eye as he glared around the docked pirate ship. The crew were gathered on the land by a fire, conversion in low, quite tones that he strained to hear.

It proved to be too far away for him to hear, and he slumped back against the mast where he was bound. He sighed, feeling useless and almost fretfully, lowering his head.

"Not feeling too good, huh, Junior?"

Cocoum started and looked up quickly to find Gutt was above him, hanging from a branch a little away from the mast. The boy furrowed his brow in a look of complete contempt. The older ape chuckled lowly.

"Mister Cold, are we?" He swung down quicker than he could blink his eye, landing beside him with ease. Cocoum recoiled as much as he could, shrinking away encase of any offense. Gutt laughed again, raising a brow as he leaned a hand against the mast in indifference.

"Relax, Junior. If I wanted to gut you I woulda done it as soon as we'd fished ya out of the sea like a fish." Cocoum's frown deepened.

"What do you want?" His voice came out less confidently than he'd been aiming at, his brows raising slightly in unease. Gutt raised his other hand, examining the sharp, intimidating claws lining his fingers.

"You'll find out, kiddo." Was his only reply, though Cocoum caught the conniving edge to it as well as the smirk forming on his face. He shrank back a little, glaring again.

"Gutt..." The older ape's gaze returned to his and he regarded him questioningly. "Was...was it really that bad enough...to cause all of this?"

He regretted asking that question instantly. Gutt's expression morphed into fury and he turned towards him fully, scowling. Cocoum shrunk back.

"I..I didn't-"

He shut up quickly once Gutt's claws were brandished an inch away from his eye. He froze, staring past the sharp things at Gutt, wondering if this might be his last moments.

Gutt actually smiled in a grim, humorless fashion. "You think that's the only thing that happened, kiddo?"

He leaned back, pulling his claws away. Cocoum breathed out, gasping a little but kept his gaze locked wit hthe older apes. "What...?"

"Let's just say..." Gutt paused, glancing at his claws again darkly "That he gave me a very bad name. Not many saps considered this ape worth the dirst they stood on. Funny, huh?"

He glanced back at the kid before continuing "My stupid little 'friend' blames me for something, and the whole island hates me. Well, at least it hardened me up a little." He shrugged at the last statement as Cocoum bit his lip.

It was obvious now that Gutt...or Guver had been shunned for what he'd seemingly caused. But Argeth told the others that it wasn't his fault after. He'd said no himself...

But the damage had been done. Many people would think he was trying to protect his friend.

But...Argeth hadn't meant it. It was wrong what he'd done, but this was going too far.

"It...still isn't...worth it. Hasn't he suffered as well?"

Gutt regarded him coldly. Then, a menacing looked appeared. "Maybe, kiddo. But that's the thing." He laughed darkly as he turned away again, seemingly about to leave "I wanna see him suffer _more."_

As he began to leave, Cocoum's voice called out quietly behind him.

Maybe the younger ape had thought that it would remind him of the person he'd used to be. Maybe it was the last bout of kindness he would offer to this intimidating, vicious pirate, but whatever it was, it was still like a stab through the silence.

"I'm sorry about Natta and Sheeranne."

Gutt halted, and Cocoum wondered again if he was going to die there. He shrank back as he waited for the reaction. Then, Gutt sighed deeply, though in what way Cocoum didn't catch. It could have been exasperation, but either way he turned and moved back beside him, frowning down at him lowly.

Cocoum stared up at him, wide-eyed and fearful. Then, Gutt raised a hand towards his head and the boy cringed, screwing his eyes shut and gasping as he waited for the slicing pain. Instead, he felt a hand rest on his head and rub his hair softly, unlike all the other patronizing times. It reminded him of something his mother used to do. It was...kind.

His eyes opened and he stared at Gutt, who was already moving away. He jumped up into the branches above and swung away to the edge of the ship towards his crew as Cocoum lowered his head quietly.

He honestly didn't know what to think anymore.

* * *

The group slept all night afterwards, and the night flew by like a bird through the morning air. When the sun drifted over the horizon, the inky sky morphing into a creamy orange like the embers in the wood, Clementine awoke. She knew something wasn't right the second her eyes opened. She slowly lifted her head, propping herself up on her elbows as she stared around the camp.

Her eyes graced the spot where Argeth had been sleeping the night before. Her heart sank and a lump formed in her throat as a sob broke from her throat.

Because he wasn't there.

Argeth was gone.

* * *

_Powerful stuff, people._

_Please review...Updates will slow. I know I've been saying this for a while, but I've been trying to get most of the story done before I need to slow down._

_Don't worry, this will continue. No one-a-month updates here._


	41. Chapter 41

Please review, people! a lot of people skip chapters to review, but It doesn't really matter...

Just a heads-up that the end may be coming 'round the bend...later. Just saying we're about 3 Quarters into the story or a little less.

* * *

CHAPTER 41: BITTERNESS AND HATE.

The sun began to rise slowly and steadily, and it was almost as if the heavens knew that the day head was to be a violent, deadly one indeed and were deliberately prolonging the sunrise.

Squint had returned the camp before sundown the previous day, apparently having found no trace of the other animals, the same going for Gupta. But it didn't matter now; There was no chance now that the armadillo wouldn't arrive, be it with the elk or not.

Gutt stood at the top of the mast and surveyed the mountain for any sign of movement, brow furrowed and his face set in a small smirk. Cocoum was fast asleep below, oblivious to the approaching morning.

Raz had awakened along with Shira, and the others were just shaking sleep away as the kangaroo began scouting the coast, hopping up the mountain trail were they had faced the boys the day before, eyes narrowed and alert, spear in hand.

She halted upon hearing a soft, rolling sound against the soil nearby. Her eyes flickered around the trees, and her paws tightened her hold on her spear.

"Who's there'?" She called, "Come out! Ye scared or something?"

A loud, quick 'pop' sound caught her attention, and she looked to the left to find a familiar, arms-always-folded armadillo standing on a large boulder, high above her.

_"Yo."_

* * *

Clementine, Kurues and the others followed the young molehog down the trail, panting and speeding as fast as they could after him. Clementine took a few deeps breaths before calling over to him:

"Are you _sure _this is the right way?!"

"Yeah, My tunnel's still here!" Hogarth called back from beneath the soil. They were able to make out his trail by the earth that rose wherever he moved. Kurues looked over his shoulder at Lee and Klue, who were brandishing sharp sticks in their paws, scowling seriously for two of their age. "You two alright? I still can't believe I'm bringing you!"

"Let's getum!" Lee announced, swinging his stick in the air for emphasis. Kurues nodded once and turned his gaze back ahead. They had to leave Glett at the camp, for he wasn't fast enough to get here. He'd been reluctant, but agreed anyway.

The elk groaned loudly to himself "Why did he have to go and do that?! Once we find him, I'm gonna kill him!"

Maut rolled her eyes from above, exclaiming down at him, "Shoot, Elk, What the heck would bet the point, then!?"

Clementine couldn't believe he'd done that. He'd said he would stay...but then again, he didn't make any promises. He would've ended up going anyway.

It was hard to believe she'd once thought him a cold, uncaring jerk who was only with them in order to survive. Now he was going to get himself killed to make sure someone else survived...

Clementine tightened her clenched fists and sped up, brow creasing. Well, they weren't going to let him die.

* * *

Raz rose a brow up at the indifferent Argeth, clicking her teeth thoughtfully. So it worked huh? and none of his little friends had come?

"G'day, mate. Ye alone?"

"Per usual. Were's the kid?"

Raz shrugged, a small smile playing at her lips. "He's okay. Captain's got 'um."

"That's an odd definition of 'okay'" Argeth remarked sourly, also raising a brow before looking up to the side, feigning disinterest though a glint had entered his dark irises.

"How about this, then. You tell Gutt to come here with the kid, then let him go. It'll be just me and him, one on one."

Raz snorted. Did this shrimp honestly think he could take on the ape, who was five times his size at the very least, and even hope to win? the last time on the ship when they'd been combating with swords was different as Gutt already had the upper hand; He hadn't even been trying, Raz didn't think. This time the sea fearing primate would indefinably go for the kill.

"Have it yer way then, mate. Nice knowin' ya, by the way." Grinning, she turned to leave and was hopping away when the armadillo called after her.

"Clem's okay, just so you know."

Raz held back her sigh of relief, glancing back over at him. "Good ta hear, mate."

She hurried away after that. Stupid sap, trying to play the guilt trip or something? well it wasn't the rabbit they were after. She had a feeling that even without the elk there, this plan would go ahead just fine.

* * *

Cocoum jerked awake suddenly upon hearing raucous laughter fill the deck. The sun was up, the pirates were smiling, and he felt like he was surely doomed.

He shrank back uneasily as the pirates pulled their weapons from the ice, each glancing at him in mean-spirited glee. Cocoum's green eyes widened. Uh, oh.

Gutt swung down and landed beside him, startling him and the young ape drew a sharp breath as the elder laughed loudly.

"Isn't this just precious!" He announced, evoking another round of cackling from his crew before turning back to Cocoum, rubbing his head meanly "Our armadillo friend's sacrificing himself for his lil' friend." Cocoum scowled at him, though a horrid despair leaked through his expression as Gutt removed his hand and turned back to his crew.

"Stay sharp, lads. His lil' friends could turn up. That'll be fun"

"ARR!"

"You-" Cocoum struggled in his bindings but couldn't get free. _Argeth, what are you DOING?!_

"You can't do this, you..." Gutt burst out laughing again, his crew following suit. Cocoum would've face-palmed at his own foolishness had his arms been free. Of course he could...

"Pipe down, Junior, Your coming too." Gutt whipped out one large claw from his finger and ignoring the kid's yelp of alarm, he sliced the vines tying him to the mast and seized him around the waist as he darted to the side in a fruitless attempt to escape.

Cocoum wasn't going to make it easy for him to drag him along, though. He struggled as much as he could, even trying to hit the older ape as he pulled him away.

"I can walk, ya know! lemme go!"

"If you keep squirming you won't ever be able to walk again!" Gutt informed him, tightening his hold as he carried the small ape (well, small compared of him) in the crook of his arm.

Cocoum glared up at him sourly, but didn't take the chance of annoying him again. Gutt smirked triumphantly but ignored his glare.

"Good. Now shut up."

Argeth almost felt alone as he waited beside the bolder, arms folded and head bent, staring at the floor. He'd always been alone, since his late youth, and he wasn't sure why it bothered him now of all times. Guess getting stuck with a herd does that to you.

He sighed deeply. He honestly didn't think this was going to end well for him...and he guessed as much.

He knew he was going to pay dearly for what he did years ago. And now that moment was approaching, and he couldn't help but feel a little tired. Bitterness was exhausting, but it appeared hatred (at least in Guver's case) wasn't.

"Well, well, well!"

His eyes shot wide and he dropped his arms, whipping around and scowling. Gutt had appeared almost from nowhere, holding a wide-eyed Cocoum in one arm, a long sword in the other.

"Isn't this a terrible turn of events?" The ape captain inquired, jerked the now struggling youngster closer and placed the side of the sword against his neck, smirking down at him as he cringed fearfully. "I _love _terrible turn of events."

Argeth forced himself to roll his eyes, though his heart had began pounding at the intensity of this situation. It looked like Gutt really meant it this time, and even if he didn't, calling his bluff wasn't an option.

"Alright, We're both here. Now let. Him. Go." His voice lowered with every syllable. Cocoum looked horrified by what was happening and was about to call out when Gutt rolled his eyes and interrupted him.

"Your far too predictable, Args." That said, he tossed Cocoum to the side and ignored his cry of protest as Argeth tightened his fists, barring his teeth.

_"Bring it on."_

Gutt lunged as soon as the words were out, weapon in hand. Argeth growled and hurtled himself to the side, the blade clashing off the rock behind him, sending cracks and sparks up it's side. The sheer force of the blow took a whole junk of the solid material out, something Argeth noted with alarm.

He dodged again, this time rolling into a ball the evade the next swipe. Gutt laughed raucously at this.

"Don't be such a coward!"

Argeth hissed lowly at this and snapped out of his ball position, landing on a rock a little high than the grinning ape. He looked around quickly for some sort of weapon when he noticed a shatter piece of rock lying nearby. Scowling in concentration, he looked over his shoulder and waited for the right moment to dodge.

Sure enough, the blade came again and he whipped away, rolling over to the stone and grabbing it just as Gutt drew near. The primate rose his sword and swiped again, and this time Argeth wasn't so lucky. The blade sliced his across shoulder, evoking a yell of pain from the smaller mammal.

He growled and slammed the sharp rock onto the ape's hand-foot, causing the ape to yell in similar pain at the shee force of the blow.

Argeth jumped up and kicked him in the stomach, sending him back a little but failing to knock him off balance. When the ape regained his composure, he laughed gruffly.

"That all ya have, Args? this'll be easier than I thought."

Cocoum finally managed to free himself from the tangled bushes he'd been thrown into, and tried to approached when Argeth barked at him harsly.

"GET BACK, KID!"

Cocoum jumped back in alarm at his fierce tone, eyes wide.

Gutt his Argeth full force in the jaw, sending the armadillo sailing through the air towards the cliff side. Arget grunted and pulled himself onto his elbows, eyes widening as the sword came again. He rolled out of the way, gasping for breath as Cocoum panicked from behind them.

Above, Silass watched with amusement at the armadillo's struggle to keep the ape at bay (a task he was failing at) but was taken back when he spotted something else occurring nearby.

The misfits and survivors were practically stampeding along the path, just around the corner. He smiled grimly and turned in the air, swooping down to the rest of his crew to alert them of the upcoming party.

This should be a fun event...

* * *

_Party's really heating up._

_That's not a saying, is it?_

_Review! _


	42. Chapter 42

Please review, people.

Not such else to say.

* * *

CHAPTER 42: A FIGHT TO THE DEATH.

The misfits and survivors hurried along the high path, the rabbit among them jerking her head up to gaze up the flat, rocky face at their side. The sounds of unmistakably clashing of a sword against rock and the shouts of fury above belonging to Gutt and their armadillo friend himself rang in her long ears. Her eyes widened as she barely spotted Argeth jumping dangerously near the sheer drop. Kurues has seen as well.

"Come on!" He called "Once we turn the bend, we'll be able to get up there!"

"Um, Clemmy?" Maut's uncertain, shaky voice called from her position above. The rabbit called back, distracted by the amount of running she was doing.

"What?!"

"Did ya bring your healin' stuff with ya?"

Clementine rose a brow. "Yes! Why?"

"Cause we're gonna need 'um! look out, y'all!"

Abruptly a scruff band of mammals leaped from all sides and blocked their path; Some climbing from the rocky sides below and some running in from the way they had been heading. The pirates brandished their weapons, grins in place as the other group skidded to a halt, eyes widening.

They stood there, staring (smirking nastily in the pirate's case) at each other for a few seconds in a freeze frame untill Lee stood up straight and waved hi pointed stick in the air.

"CHAAAARGE!"

That second they lunged, Raz throwing a set of shark teeth towards Kurues, who ducked instantly and watched them speed past his eye, inches away from impact. Lee hurtled himself forward towards Squint, who'd glanced at Clementine uncertainly a second before.

The doe drew back, ears standing up on end nervously at the situation. Suddenly she found herself whisked off her feet By Kurues' head, and the elk proceeded to buck his head back and thrown Clementine onto his back for protection as he charged forward, effectively head-butting Flynn off the side of the rock face and into the less-rocky waters below.

"Wheeeeee! thank you, mista elk!"

SLASH

Klue began battling with Gutpa, the teen possum using his thick twig to block his knife, though not very effectively as it snapped soon after. Klue held the broken twig in his paws, staring at it nervously before looking back at the smirking flag, who still had a knife in hand.

"Aheh...WHOA!"

He ducked the knife as it swiped at him, and scurried away, luckily avoiding the darts the badger was now throwing (he'd been holding the small but deadly blades in the other paw during the fight)

Squint was tumbling along the ground, battling it out like a rabid ferret (or rabid rabbit in this scenario) with Lee who, once the rabbit had rolled back onto his feet, had jumped onto the long-eared mammal's back and was hitting him on the head.

"Ow-Ow! I'm gonna kill ya for that, kid!"

Maut grinned and landed next to Clementine (who'd fallen from Kurues' back as he began battling both Shira and Raz, attemtping to buck the saber with his hind legs but failing)

"Y'know, for future reference I think ya should hold back on havin' kids..." The bat muttered to her, oblivious to the fact that they were being aimed at with Gupta's darts.

Clementine's ears twitched and her eyes widened at this slightly personal remark, and she gave the bat a heated glare before notcing Gutpa aiming a dart. She scowled.

Picking up the bat and twirling her in the air by her wing (something that bat found incredibly uncomfortable) she flung the gossiper right towards the badger, whose eyes widened considerably as she collided with him, knocking him off balance and leaving him in a daze.

"OW!"

Maut shook her head dizzily and stumbled about as Clementine brushed her paws together in satisfaction.

Squint, who'd watched this while trying to remove Lee from his head, gave a short laugh before throwing the lemur off of him, the teen landing harmlessly on the ground nearby.

Raz threw a rope around Kurues' ankle, pulling it back and causing him to slip onto his front knees as Shira pounced. Scowling quickly the buck jerked away and booted the saber in the side with his head, throwing her back at the kangaroo with a grunt.

"I'm getting sick of you pirates!" He announced as Raz jumped back onto her feet, swinging her shark-jaw on the end of a vine as she advanced.

Clementine was about to run over, perhaps to somehow help when she heard a painful shout from above.

Argeth skidded to the edge of the cliff above, stopping just an inch away from the edge on his side, coughing harshly. Her ears bent back in worry and she reached a paw up towards him.

_"Argeth!"_

* * *

Argeth pulled himself onto his knees with a great amount of effort, leaning on shaky, tired arms as he watched Gutt draw nearer, running his sharp claws along the rock ground, leaving a trail of crew scratches behind them as he came closer.

Argeth released a shaky, raucous breath and narrowed his eyes defiantly, expecting this to be the end when a smaller figure lunged forward into Gutt's back, pulling the older ape back and off balance, arms wrapped around his arm.

"I won't let you do this, old man!" Cocoum yelled as they both collided with the ground, the younger ape jumping to his feet and retreating a few steps as Gutt got back on balance, growling dangerously. He smirked in a humorless fashion.

"Cute." Was all he said, lunged forward and grabbing the younger ape's arm and throwing him away. Cocoum collided with the base of a tree, the impact knocking the air out of him as he slid down into a sitting position, eyes screwed shut. He wasn't hurt, but winded.

"Cocoum!" Argeth rasped, finally managing to pull himself to his feet. He darted towards Gutt before he had the chance to turn around and jumped onto his back, pulling out the sharp stone he'd held tight in his paw throughout the whole fight. He whacked the ape oft he back of the head and drove it into his shoulder again, eyes widening as Gutt roared viciously and reached back, grabbing the exhausted armadillo and throwing him with a great force towards the nearby boulder.

Argeth's back collided with the stoen painfully and he crumpled onto the ground, eyes screwed shut in pain. His whole body felt as if it were on fire. He forced his eyes open as Gutt breath heavy, furious breaths, glaring at him with utter loathing...that for once wasn't returned.

"Pay-back time, old friend." He breathed, whipping out his claws. Cocoum coughed from nearby, clutching his shoulder as he began drawing near, eyes wide and fearful. Argeth glanced at him and shook his head once; And action that went unnoticed by Gutt.

Argeth slowly and painfully pulled himself to his feet.

"I always knew..." He murmured as he shuffled his feet around to face the primate, head rising slowly "That this would be the end of me."

Gutt gave him a hate-filled but questioning look. Argeth shook his head, voice soft and husky.

"I never forgave myself for what I did, Guver. I was ashamed...and disgusted with myself like you would not believe." He sighed deeply, his chest paining him with the shaky effort.

"And yet...I was too cowardly to go after you. Too scared to face you for what I did."

He turned slightly as Gutt frowned at him, eyes unbearably dark as the armadillo leaned against the boulder. "I was always a coward. And I betrayed my best friend...the only one I trusted because the thought of being blamed for my sister's death scared me so much."

"And it was my cowardliness..that clouded me. I never got over what happened. Not a day goes by when I think I could have been there for you...not just after Lily died...but all those other times. None of this would have happened if I'd just gone after you that day."

Argeth finally looked back at him, head shaking slowly and stiffly. "I guess...part of me began blaming you again while I was on that ship...during those weeks. But now it's taken all of this for me to accept it truly. I did this...to myself."

Cocoum drew back, eyes wide and glazed over. Gutt's posture had slackened, but the scowl remained in place as he watched the armadillo with cold, hard eyes meeting the deep, tired ones that had suffered regret, and remorse, for years.

"I'm sorry, Guver." Argeth said quietly. "I'm sorry for what I did to you."

There was a long, unforgiving silence. Gutt's expression hardened, but he didn't attack.

"You really think I'll ever forgive you, Args?"

Argeth shook his head once, eyes foggy. "Never."

The edge of Gutt's lip curled slightly. "Yeah."

Cocoum lowered his gaze to the floor quietly behind them. Gutt laughed curtly, once again pulling his fish-bone sword back into his hand from where it had lain at the side.

"I guess this is the end, right?" He remarked, pretending to examine the sharp edge of his blade. Argeth sighed deeply.

"I guess so."

Cocoum's eyes widened as Gutt rose the weapon into the air an threw it with incredible force towards the armadillo. Argeth was too weak to even attempt to dodge, and he closed his eyes as the weapon came flying towards him.

Cocoum gasped and froze, eyes wide and horrified. Gutt remained expressionless and silent.

Argeth slowly opened his eyes and glanced to the side, where th blade had embedded itself in the crack in the rock that had (lain empty previously) beside him. Eyes lidded tiredly but alight with confusion and surprise, Argeth looked back at the now chuckling Gutt.

"Gotcha. Darn coward." He turned away, smirking grimly to himself. Cocoum slid out of his way, holding his sore shoulder worriedly as the older ape passed, confused beyond belief.

"No hard feelings, kiddo." Gutt remarked as he went past, raising one arm and ruffling the kid's hair as he went. Cocoum turned back to the Argeth, who was staring at the floor blankly.

_CRA-A-ACK..._

All three of them stiffened upon hearing the far-off noise. Gutt turned and looked over his shoulder, scowling up the rock mountain coldly, eyes glancing around. Cocoum looked around as well, for it seemed the echoing crack had come from all around.

Argeth remained still, eyes staring forward as he listened carefully.

Down below, the battle between the pirates, misfits and survivors halted as another crack, not from the land but from above, echoed through the air. Raz skidded to a halt, gripping her spear as she and the rest gazed upwards around around.

Clementine frowned slightly, ears in the air. Above, Argeth's head jerked up towards the mountainside behind him and his eyes widened in alarm.

There were smaller rocks showering down from the side, and the armadillo could just make out a larger portion of rock cracking off the side.

That could mean only one thing.

_"ROCKSLIDE!"_ He shouted, darting away from the face. Gutt moved away as well towards the path leading down to the lower mountain trail below. Cocoum grimaced and sped after them, only to accidentally put pressure on his sore shoulder and slip as the heavier rocks began raining down. One of them landed painfully on his leg, trapping him. He cried out sharply.

Argeth noticed this and skidded to a halt, calling over his shoulder at the older ape as he ran back.

_"Guver!"_

He didn't wait to see if Gutt had heard or was even coming. He rushed back to the boy and grabbed the underside oft he rock. With his sore arm the kid wouldn't be able to get it off himself.

He lifted it up just enough to free the boy's leg but not enough to throw it away. Cocoum coughed roughly. Argeth would have to hold it up...while he escaped.

"Argeth..." He rasped, but the armadillo shook his head.

"Go!"

"I can't- my leg..."

Suddenly an arm wrapped around the boy's waist and pulled him out from under the rock. Gutt had returned, remarkably, and was now pulling the kid away as heavier rocks hit the ground around them. Cocoum and Gutt stared back at Argeth, who dropped the rock and dodged back away from the rocks, away from them.

Cocoum reached out with his good arm, trying to struggle back to him. Gutt held him tight.

_"Argeth!"_

"Go!"

This was his only reply that came back. The dust caused by the rocks began rising quickly and he was lost in the cloud. Below the pirates, misfits and survivors forgot their battle and ran along the path, yelling in alarm as they dodged the falling rocks.

"Argeth!" Cocoum called. Gutt jumped out of the way of another falling boulder and leaped off the side of the path, grabbing onto the ledge with one hand while holding Cocoum in the other. Using his feet and hand, he hastily climbed down the rock face onto the lower path. Above, Argeth hurtled himself out of the way of another bolder, coughing as he inhaled the dust. He hurried to the side of the path, glancing down to make sure the others were safe.

He was too busy looking down to see another, larger rock plummet towards him before above. Time seemed to slow as Clementine and her friends looked back and saw Argeth at the edge of the cliff, the rock falling towards him. Her eyes widened in horror and she cried out along with the others, but he didn't hear.

He only saw the shadow a slip second before it collided with his back, sending him hurtling off the rocky side and onto the path below with a thud.

Cocoum cried out in despair when he saw this happen, Gutt's eyes widening. Then, another shower of dust and rubble distended over them, and Gutt moved to the side of the rock faced and shielded Cocoum with his arm.

Finally, rocks slide trembled to a halt, only a few pebbles clattering down in reprisal. As the dust began to clear, Gutt lowered Cocoum onto the ground and gazed around, his eyes stopping on a still, stiff form nearby.

Argeth was lying a few meters away, partly covered in rocks, eyes closed gently, still and silent.


	43. Chapter 43

...Is that the end coming 'round the bend?

Yes it is, I'm sorry to say. But not in this chapter...maybe two more to go...this is the longest Fanfic I've ever written...

GO ME.

Please review...

* * *

CHAPTER 43: SO MUCH FOR FOREVER.

Needless to say, the moment that passed after Cocoum had seen Argeth supposedly mangled, stiff body, had been harder than any moment in his life. It was a few seconds before the spell broke, but to him to seemed like an eternity.

Cocoum scrambled the best he could towards Argeth, using his good arm to shove of the rocks around him. Remarkably and blessedly, the armadillo began to cough. He was alive; Barley alive.

Argeth didn't get up. He stayed on his side, eyes gazing quietly at the ground as he gave a long, deep sigh. Cocoum glanced at the cruises and cuts on his body fretfully, wondering if they were even within Clementine's ability to heal. It didn't look it...

Gutt had moved over silently and was looking over his shoulder, almost glaring at the armadillo before him. His brow was creased and his dark eyes held no readable emotion.

"You're an idiot, you do know that?" The elder ape told him curtly. Cocoum ignored him and shook his head.

"You...didn't need to do that, Argeth." He murmured, his voice small and shaky. He founded much younger than he was at the moment, heck, he felt so helpless in this second...

Argeth's eyes flickered around but did not meet his. "Yeah. But I did anyway."

Gutt reached forward and pulled Cocoum slightly to the side. The boy screwed his eyes shut.

"Maybe...maybe Clementine..."

"I don't she'll be able to help, kid." Argeth murmured as he finally looked up at him. Then, his gaze met Gutt's.

They just stared at each other for a few seconds. Argeth coughed, though to clear his throat or rid his chest of the dust Cocoum didn't know.

"You know after all these years I still can't stand you completely?"

Gutt snorted, a smirk playing at his lips. "Yeah. And your still a stiff."

Argeth smiled faintly before a painful bout of coughing racked his body. Cocoum reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder to try to comfort him, but in reality there wasn't anything he could do.

Argeth honestly didn't know what to say, though there was hundreds he thought he could. But in truth, he'd already done what he should have done years before.

Repent for his action. And apologize.

"I'm sorry, Guver. I hope you know that."

Gutt sighed a little, but made no other expression. "Yeah, I got that, short-fry..."

"Look, uh...you're gonna have to take him away from here, Guver. It's still not save." Argeth glanced between him and the kid beside him. "Rocks could start falling again any minute..."

Finally, Cocoum let the tears spill over and he let out one frail, cracked sob. Gutt and Argeth shared a single, knowing look before the older ape wrapped an arm around Cocoum and lifted him away. He placed his on his back and, giving Argeth one more nod, he muttered.

"So much for forever, huh, old friend?"

Argeth's mind was foggy but yes, he recalled a day in his youth when he'd spoken some words alone that line. Friends forever? huh. Sounds so sure of it's self.

"Yeah...so much for forever."

Before Gutt turned away, Argeth caught a look in his eyes he'd never thought he'd see again in his whole life. It was of regret, sadness...maybe even nostalgic as well. But either way, Guver had looked through the eyes of this vicious ape and waved goodbye to his childhood friend for the last time.

And so Argeth allowed his eyes to rest, for once in his life allowing his mind to ease. It was ironic, for it seemed that now was the end for his said life, and all he could wonder was if he would see his sister again...if it really was the time...

* * *

Clementine and the others were gathered around at the foot of the blocked mountain path. They sat in a heavy, stony silence, heads bent and expressions pained. Kurues had muttered a second after the rocks had stopped falling that Argeth must have been buried in them...maybe taking Cocoum with him.

The thought was too much to bear. Clementine run off from their sight, tears falling rapidly from her eyes. Maut seemed about to go after her, but Kurues stopped her.

"Let her go. Maybe she needs to be alone..." He murmed in a cracked voice. He himself couldn't shake the feeling that they'd failed their friend. And failed they had...or as it seemed.

Clementine collapsed against a fallen tree trunk, head buried in her arms as she sobbed. A figure wandered over to her and gently patted her shoulder twice.

Looking up she found Squint staring back at her uncertainly, eyes big and wide. She sobbed once before flinging her arms around his wast and wailing into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her gently as she cried, resting his chin on her head.

"He can't be gone, S-Squint..." she wailed quietly. He rubbed her back gently, though said nothing. He honestly didn't know how else to comfort her.

The pirates had regrouped on the land just beside were the boat was docked; The deck was just a jump away. They wondered if their Captain was still alive, something they found quite likely. Gutt tended to survive even after the harshest scenarios...all they had to do was wait until he got back so they could get back onto sea.

Raz had seen Squint wander off to find Clementine and decided to go after him as well, sneaking away as Shira barked orders at the rest of the crew to prepare the ship for setting sail.

She found the two rabbits, Squint embracing the sobbing doe and trying to comfort her. Raz drew near and leaned on her spear quietly. Obviously she was crying about that armadillo.

"Don't cry too much, short-fry...not like 'ed want ye too..." They were the only words she could offer. They didn't seem to help.

And so the two pirates just let her cry.

The survivors had decided to try and get to the other mountain road; They wanted to see if they could recover their friends body or, in an unspoken hope that they all had, maybe find him alive. And so the blocked road was empty by the time Gutt had climbed over the rocks.

Cocoum had was still on his back, head buried into his shoulder and sobbing quietly. Gutt knuckled walked a little away from the pile of rocks blocking the path and sighed deeply. Then, he reached up and plucked the youngster off his back and set him gently against a larger rock. Cocoum coughed, rubbing his eye as he stared at the floor.

He looked up in alarm as he saw Gutt beginning to move away.

"Where...where are you going?" Gutt looked over his shoulder upon hearing the shaky question. He seemed to feign indifference and shrugged.

"Going back onto sea, kiddo. Can't leave those barnacles alone for long."

Cocoum looked hurt by this and looked down again. Gutt sighed roughly and made his way back to him, looking down at the boy with a slight frown. Cocoum didn't know what it was, but some part of him didn't want the older ape to leave him. Gutt seemed to know this as he raised a hand and rubbed the hair on his head again, muttering.

"You'll be better off without me, Cocoum. Trust me on that- kids aren't meant to be on the sea." Cocoum offered a small, faint smile. Gutt smirked.

"Ha, ya see? you know I'm right. See ya around, Junior."

As he turned away and began making his way back to her crew, Cocoum muttered "See you...Dad..."

The last word was so silent that Gutt didn't hear it. Cocoum didn't know what let it slip, but he was thankful it hadn't been heard.

* * *

Gutt returned to his ship with a scowl on his face, something that alerted the crew not to mess with him.

"First Mate, prepare the ship for kick-off!" He ordered as he swung up onto the vines. Flynn clapped his hands happily.

"Oooh! are we going back to sea now?" Shire rolled her eyes as she gave the order. Gupta jumped onto the master and quickly scurried to the top, attaching himself to the top as the flag. Squint and Raz hurried on board during the commotion and therefore where unnoticed.

The hyperactive buck looked back over his shoulder as the ship jerked into motion and began moving away from the land. He glanced about and spotted a familiar bunch of figures lining the side of the land as they drifted away, most of them holding back behind some cover.

Clementine's eyes met his own, full of a loving warmth that made him feel almost better about leaving. She raised a hand and waved once, and he returned the action with a crooked grin.

None of the others apart from Raz were aware of the conversation they'd had before he'd left.

_"You really can't come with me...?"_

_Squint's voice died in his throat when he saw Clementine nod slowly, head bent, eyes red from so much crying. It had taken a while for her to calm down, and by that time Squint and Raz (who was hovering somewhere nearby, waiting for him) knew they needed to return to the ship_

_"I won't make it..." Clementine murmured. Squint sighed hopelessly. She took his paw in hers and placed the other on his cheek, moving his head so his eyes met hers again._

_"But...I'll always be here." She whispered. Squint smiled and placed a paw over hers. That thought alone was kinda comforting...at least she wasn't sick like she'd been..._

_"Yeah and, maybe I could come visit. I mean, we drop by here now and again..."_

_Clementine smiled brightly at that and kissed him lightly on the lips, almost like a peck._

_"I'd like that. Bye, Squint." She stepped back and released his hand. Raz called for him and he nodded once, eyes having to tear away from hers as he run off._

_Raz looked over at her as they turned to leave."See ya, shorty. Stay healthy, fer cryin' out loud..."_

_Clementine smiled faintly at that. "Goobye, Raz..."_

_Squint called back a goodbye as he and Raz hurried off, the grey buck looking over his shoulder._

_"See ya, Clem!"_

It was a happy thought, thinking they'd return here. They surely would now and again... though it pained him that he wasn't going to be with her always. He sighed and lowered his head. Maybe this was for the best (a surprisingly considerate thought for a pirate...he'd really gone soft now...)

As Squint turned away just as the boat drifted away from Clementine's sight, Gutt's eyes flickered over the land from above. He hadn't spent so much time on land in a while...

He couldn't help but be reminded of the canyon in which he and his friend had usually played. It was a memory he couldn't shake off.

_"Man...your isea of fun's pretty darn deadly, Guv...I don't know how I can stand you."_

_A laugh. "You can't."_

_"...oh yeah..."_

_A pause. Guver chucked a rock into the air and caught it in a burst of boredom. Argeth said something suddenly._

_"Heh, man...we're friends, right?"_

_Guver rose a brow. Seriously? "Course, shorty. Why else would I hang out with __**you?"**_

_The armadillo boy rolled his eyes and folded his arms, though a grin was appearing. "Friends forever, right?"_

_Guver snorted but returned the grin. "Yeah...whatever sappy way you put it..."_

Gutt shook the memory away as the sun gleamed past the rocky mountain path that he'd left behind. He looked overt he fallen boulders with a numb feeling, though he'd never admit there was a small ache deep down. Ah, well...

Suddenly there was something that stood out against the rocky, reddish colour on the mountain path. Frowning, the ape looked closer. His eyes widened.

Argeth.

Leaning against a larger boulder, on his feet, was the sarcastic armadillo himself. He rose his other arm into the air, a faint, ease-filled smile on his face. He rose his paw into the air as a final goodbye.

Gutt's lip curled up and he shook his head, as if telling himself he should have known better.

Argeth grinned tiredly as the ship drifted away from the land. He slowly lowered his arm, still smiling to himself.

"Later, old friend..."

"Argeth!"

Sprinting up the mountain path was Kurues and the others, Clementine coming up behind the elk. They halted, staring at him in disbelief and uncovered joy.

He smiled again, gently, eyes tired and lidded. "Hey..."

Clementine's smile broke though her tears and she ran towards his opens arms as the other gathered around gleefully.

"He's alive! You're okay!" Maut cheered, swooping around joyfully as Kurues shook his head at him, beyond joyful.

"I knew you wouldn't leave us!" He exclaimed breathlessly. Argeth smiled, arm still around Clementine.

"Would never dream of it." He told him quietly. Clementine tightened her hold on him.

"Don't ever do that again..." She mumbled in a half-sob. He rubbed her head gently.

"You got it, Squeaker..."

Cocoum limped up afterwards, and upon seeing Argeth alive...he allowed a grin to appear despite the ache in his arm.

Argeth released Clementine from the hug and turned to him. "Hey, kid. You alright?"

Cocoum nodded once. "Thanks to you, pal."

Kurues smiled and looked around at them happily. "Alright, you guys! let's...let's go and look around our new home...find Glett...whaddaya say...?"

Nothing needed to be said. They were together, a herd, a team. Survivors and misfits bent on living. And so the island became the home they had fought to get to, filled with food, enough water and shelter, but most of all, a steady place for them to carry on with their lives.

She never said, but they all knew that Clementine was awaiting her lover's return. And Argeth knew he would and Kurues was pretty certain that if the hyperactive rabbit in question didn't scamper back her soon the armadillo (though he hated that hyper ruffian but seemingly would tolerate him as he made Clementine happy) would surely build a raft and go out to drag him back himself...

* * *

Raz knew that Squint longed to get back to Clementine, and it was hard to distract the rabbit from his thoughts throughout the next few weeks. Gupta seemed to have dropped in now and most of the crew almost forgot about the misfits and survivors they'd encountered.

Especially as Silass returned after his latest scout, a conniving grin present on his long beak.

"It's a huge bounty, mon cap-i-tan." He drawled from his perch beside Gutt above "Four passengers. _Ripe_ for the taking. One very smelly..and one very plump!"

His eyes narrowed darkly as Gutt responded dangerously.

"In my ocean? what a terrible turn of events..."

His raucous, echoing chuckle filled the foggy air.

"I _love _terrible turn of events..."

* * *

STOP.

It isn't the end yet, folks. Don't worry...thing will turn out...


	44. Chapter 44

Next chapter is the epilogue, people. Enjoy, and please review!

* * *

CHAPTER 44: SWITCHBACK, GO BACK.

Argeth could smell trouble from a mile away.

It had been a bright, sunny morning on the island when the armadillo had wandered off by himself to walk, and exercise he took on so he could keep his right leg in shape.

After the rock slide it turned out the armadillo's right leg had been damaged beyond Clementine's repair; He would limp for the rest of his life. This however didn't stop him moving around and he kept on his toes.

The two weeks that passed ha been fruitful and quite; Settling in had been easier than they'd thought. It seemed the only inhabitants of this island were hyraxes (a name they caught from the little creature's babbles) and some passive species of birds that didn't pay attention to them much.

The boys reeked havoc on their new playing ground, Cocoum's arm and leg now fully healed.

Everything seemed to be running smoothly until Argeth wandered further across the island. He hadn't explored this region of their new home and decided that as his position as co-leader of the group (the other being Kurues of course) it was his job to make sure there were no unnoticed threats about the place.

What he found made him wonder whether to gasp in astonishment...or facepalm heavily.

The pirates had returned, and where once again using the hyxraxes as their little slaves. From what the little babblers had said (or rather, glared and scowled about) they were familiar with these seafaring ruffians.

Seeing that Squint was among them the armadillo wondered if he should alert Clementine; But it turned out there was a more serious matter at hand. The whole crew, however good they may have in their hearts, were clearing on a bloodthirsty vengeance quest. Squint didn't seen to take into account that Clementine was on the island, and if he did he was too busy sprinting towards a makeshift-mammal model constructed of leaves.

It seemed that a mammoth, a saber and a pair of sloths (it was odd how strange groups seemed to be forming nowadays, Argeth remarked to himself from his hiding place in the bushes) had come across the pirates and had managed to sink their old ship...Argeth couldn't help but be impressed.

He had followed discreetly as he watched them escape (with Gutt's new ship, he might add with a slight grin) only to have his eyes widen a Gutt scaled the ice walls and knock one of the cliffs into the ocean.

His jaw hit the floor...almost literary as Gutt rose back up from the ocean as the broken cliff straightened itself in the shape of the boat. He could hear the ape's deadly, dangerous tone as he ordered them back on board.

the armadillo didn't know what surprised him more: Shira slipping the ice in front of Gutt to help the others escape or the fact his old (seemingly now psychotic...) friend had broken off a CLIFF from the island.

Argeth had a terrible feeling that the pirates were going to get themselves killed. In fact, non of them seemed that sure as they clattered on board. So, making a quick decision, Argeth seized his own bone knife and hopped onto the back of the shop as the dolphins below began pushing it away. He knew the way back from the continent (seemingly were the mammoth was trying to reach) and hoped to get back soon.

He sat on the back of the ice boat silently, hidden from their view by the helm. His leg would stop him from facing combat...but maybe there was something he could do to sort this out.

The next events unnerved him.

Reaching the continent they found all of the remaining population stranded on a high iceberg, and Argeth slipped into the crowds unnoticed, taking care to hide his bone knife as he limped through the frightened animals. He was trying to locate the mammoth's family before the pirates did; They had approached the crowds a second ago, wielding their threatening weapons.

Before he knew it, Gutt had called out to everyone and inquired about the whereabouts of the family to a mammoth called' 'Manny'

Argeth didn't know why the teen mammoth girl (who was ironically the same age Natta would've been...somehow this whole family deal was linked in with something deeper than the crew and even the mammoth knew...) had responded. Maybe she was worried about her father and wanted to know if he was okay.

Either way Argeth knew there was no stopping Gutt once his crew seized her and her mother. At that moment Argeth felt like killing the ape, truly.

Manny the mammoth had returned a few minutes after. Argeth hovered in the background nearby some other teen mammoths, waiting encase he was needed (despite his leg)

This was not good...

"Sacrificing yourself for your daughter...how touching." Argeth scowled at the oily tone from the sidelines "How predictable. Now come and get her!"

_Hypocrite much, Guver...?_

A flight had broken out before he knew it, and it seemed the mammoth and his friends gained the upper hand as a whale entered the scene (huh...this gets weirder by the second...) and the ape and mammoth vanished from sight.

Argeth groaned, slipping into a ball stance and rolling nearby as they began battling it out. This looks like a good time to-

CRACK.

...scratch that.

Argeth found himself hanging onto the side of a long rock speeding down the risen land (again, what the heck was going on?!) unnoticed as the mammoth and ape battled it out.

He barely managed to look over the side as Gutt rose a large log into the air, ready to strike the mammoth down.

"I warned you, Manny!" He grunted as he lifted the thick wood high, "Ya shouldn't have messed with the master of the sea!"

...Really?

"Y'know...sometimes it pays to weigh_ ELEVEN TON!"_

Argeth's eyes widened as the mammoth hurtled himself back, effectively tipping the long rock and flipping the ape into the air. He caught the log and whacked him to the side like a ball, all the while shouting a farewell to 'monkey boy'

Argeth didn't hear this, however, as he'd been unknowing bucked off the end as well. He landed in the bushes nearby with a 'thud'

...ouch...

He'd went after Gutt soon after, brushing the thorns off his arms. He'd have to find that idiot before this whole place fell apart...

He heard the ape's pained shouts in a iceberg-filled watery area between the broken land, and had pulled out his bone-knife instantly despite his leg.

One thing he was certain off was that those sirens...were hard to beat. He'd battered the ones surrounding the shell as hard as he could before using his knife to break it open. It seemed Gutt had put up a pretty good fight inside but suffered a great amount of scars as Argeth dragged him out into the water. He didn't ask what Gutt had seen. He already had a good idea.

"You really need to get a few pounds off, old friend!" Agrteh muttered as he dragged the half-conscious ape onto a smaller iceberg, coughing in the process.

When Gutt recovered, he inquired darkly "What're you doing here, shorty?"

"Savin' your sorry skin." Argeth replied, rubbing his sore neck. He really shouldn't have considering what the ape had been planning to do...seemingly. He still didn't think he would've killed that other kid...but he knew not to mention it.

Gutt rolled his eyes. Ain't this good for his reputation...

* * *

The pirates finally found out what it was like to be surrounded with weapons. After being flattened, beaten and thrown off the sides, they'd clattered back onto the iceberg, unknowingly nearby the other former inhabitants of the continent.

The pirates were surrounded by a group of mammoth teens holding their old weapons, the rest of the herds glaring at them sourly. Manny, Sid and Diego approached, Shira at their side.

Despite her betraying she looked slightly worried at the situation.

"What should we do with with them?" Diego asked Manny, glaring at each of the wide-eyed pirates coldly. Abruptly a voice interrupted them.

"I know _exactly_ what you should do."

All heads turned towards a hard-gazed armadillo with a dagger in hand, leaning his left leg and scowling at the pirates. Manny rose a brow.

"And you must be...?"

"Argeth." The armadillo replied curtly, making his way forward. It seemed the mammoth was wary of him due to the fish-bone weapon and notable scars.

"Oh no, not you!" Squint exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air. Argeth turned to him and grabbed him tightly by the scruff, jerking him so their eyes were inches apart.

"I have a few words to say to you, shrimp!" He hissed. He hadn't forgotten the fact the rabbit had seemingly forgotten Clementine. Squint;s eyes widened in horror and he gulped at the expression, but began struggling madly. Argeth rolled his eyes and held him at arm's length, turning back to the mammoth.

"You know these guys?" He asked. Shira moved forward, giving Argeth a surprised look that was covered up by indifference.

"Armadillo." She greeted coldly.

"First mate" He replied dryly. Squint thrashed around in his grasp, protesting.

"Hey! I'm first mate now- ack!"

He stopped short once Argeth growled at him threateningly. Manny glanced at his wife uncertainly before asking.

"So...you're not part of their crew, are you?"

Argeth had to be truthful. "Was forced into it once. But me and my friends escaped."

"What, did ya sink their boat, too?" The sloth asked excitedly, lisping as he did. Argeth rose a brow but answered anyway.

"...We didn't get that far."

Manny could tell that the armadillo wasn't a friend to these ruffians and had dealt with them before (seemingly) so he asked,

"So then, what d'you think's best?"

The animals surrounding paused. Argeth grinned at Squint meanly, and the rabbit cringed considerably in response.

* * *

The journey back to Switchback cover was a long and hard one for the pirates. Argeth had suggested giving them a taste of their own medicine and they had strung them up in a net, hanging at the back of the ship as they sailed away from the crumbling content.

Argeth made sure no-none noticed a bulky, long-armed figure slip onto the edge of the ship unnoticed. But he was sure there'd be no trouble, at least for now.

He'd kept Squint apart from the others, trying him up at the side so he could talk to him privately.

"Whaddaya want?" He asked rudely, giving him a squinted glare as he approached. Argeth folded his arms.

"Look here, scruffy. I don't like you- heck, I actually hate you and you hate me..." He rolled his eyes "But there's not doubt you care about Clementine, and it looks as if she likes you back."

He ignored Squint's happy smile "Wipe that grin off your face, kid. U just want to let you know that if you screw up..." He grabbed him by the ears, jerking him towards him and adding threateningly "I will kill you. Got it?"

Squint grinned sheepishly and nodded. Argeth released him and left, grumbling. Raz, though trussed up in a net, couldn't help but grin.

Heh, Argeth, the one mammals Squint actually fears besides Gutt...

Manny, Diego and Sid returned to the island with all of the other animals on toe. They found it funny to see the pirates in a net, cursing and growling, courtesy of that odd armadillo they'd shared their stories with as they sailed.

Shira and Argeth avoided each other, still on award, cold terms. But it seemed Argeth got on fine with Manny, and his daughter Peaches was a nice girl. That molehog kid reminded him a lot of Hogarth only older.

They were greeted by his friends once they reached land, the former survivors and misfits staring in astonishment as the animals began herding off the boat onto the island; A lot of them at that.

Clementine and Kurues dashed forward to Argeth as he limped ashore, grinning knowingly.

" .You..." The elk was lost for words as Diego and Shira came up beside him. His jaw dropped. Clementine stepped back from the female saber, feeling awkward.

"Umm..."

"Clem." Argeth interrupted as the last of the passengers came ashore. "There's someone on the ship you'd like to see. Scoot."

Clementine glanced at him, then at Shira, then at the ship. She added two and two and grinned happily, darting off towards the boat as Maut landed on Kurues' (still dumbfounded) back, an indifferent frown on her face as she looked between Shira and Diego.

She clicked her teeth and looked at Argeth, who folded his arms. "It happened again, didn't it?" She asked, gesturing at the two confused sabers.

Argeth rolled his eyes. "Yup."

Kurues finally snapped out of his trance and looked back onto the deck, noting the pirates in the net and Clementine rushing towards another one of them tied up at the side. His eyes widened.

"Argeth, when you said you were going to drag him back yourself, I didn't think you actually meant it..."

Clementine threw her arms around Squint shoulders, hugging him tightly as he grinned widely.

"Clem!" He exclaimed loudly, "Heh, I didn't think-"

Clementine didn't hear what he hadn't thought as she pressed her lips onto his, effectively quieting him. He closed his eyes and let his ears drop as he pressed back, only to be interrupted by the hoots and calls from the net nearby. They pulled apart and he shouted over at the others dangerously.

"Hey! shuddup!"

"Ha, you fell hard, long-eared-dude!" Gupta laughed. Raz shook her head, grin in place. Flynn clapped his tiny hands together happily.

"Ooh!" He exclaimed "I love happy endings!"

Nearby, Peaches and Louis were approached by some scruffy-looking misfits around their age, maybe a bit younger. The possum stepped forward, waving in a friendly manner.

"Hey! gosh, it's been a while since we say other kids!" He exclaimed. The lemur elbowed him out of the way, adding.

"Yup. We've been stuck with this guy for weeks!"

The other molehog, smaller and younger than Louis, stepped forward and smiled.

"I'm Hogarth." He offered as the Lemur jumped beside him.

"I'm Lee!" He announced, proudly raising his head. He dropped it and glanced at the possum on the floor.

"Oh and that's Klue. He's with us."

Peaches smiled brightly. "My name's Peaches. This is my best friend Louis!" She rubbed the molehog beside her on the head. He looked greatly pleased by this comment and smiled bashfully.

"Wanna hang out?" Hogarth asked "We know the greatest spots here..."

Lee interrupted again in an obnoxious fashion "Yeah! we own this joint!"

"Maybe the others can come along, too." Klue suggested, glancing at the other mammoth teens nearby. Peaches shrugged.

"Sure!"

"Alright, let's all...hey." Klue halted in mid-turn, frowning as a thought occurred to him. "Any of you guys seen Cocoum?"

They glanced about. The young ape was nowhere in sight.

The other misfits had not noticed that their youngest member had slipped off after noticing something they did not, and that Argeth had probably been responsible for (at least for old time's sake...)

It had been a bulky, long-armed figure slipped from the back of the boat and moving into the jungle away from where the new arriving herds were gathering, alone. Argeth had deliberately turned away once he'd spotted him, oblivious to the fact that Cocoum had also seen, too. As the pirates were released grudgingly (and to a lot of people's chagrin) Cocoum had left quietly.

Gut ignored the seething pain in his scars and knuckle-walked along the jungle floor, feeling annoyed and quite frankly unsure of what to do next. His crew were less loyal now thanks to the love-birds softening them all up (it seemed every time they met a new batch of animals some sap fell for another sap...) He rolled his eyes darkly.

Suddenly something dropped onto his back and he halted, turning his head to tell whoever the annoying idiot was to get off if he valued his life... only to find Cocoum grinning widely down at him, propping his elbow up on his shoulder and resting his chin on his hand.

"What's up, old man?" he inquired. Gutt groaned and rolled his eyes yet again, replying bluntly.

"I shoulda know it was you, Junior."

Cocoum's grin widened. "So were ya going?" He asked. Gutt turn his head and stared along the path, beginning to move along again even though Cocoum was still perched on his back.

"None of your business, kiddo."

"Well I'm not going away until you tell me." He announced, folding both arms and smirking down at the back of is head. Gutt snorted.

"I'm not gonna get rid of you, am I, kiddo?"

"...Nope!" Cocoum raised his head and closed his eyes proudly, arms still folded.

Gutt rolled his eyes once again, but allowed an annoyed sort of smile to appear. Guess he was stuck with this kid now...

"Ya do know this means you're gonna have to do as your told, kid, or else." He informed him. Cocoum groaned slightly, frowning. Gutt scowled when he heard him mumble something.

"What was that, Junior?" He inquired dryly. Cocoum quickly replied.

"Nothing!"

"Good."

Coocum smiled again and rested his head on his hand as they went along. This was going to be amazingly fun...despite the fact he'd have to do as he was told...

Though not all of the time...

* * *

Last chapter coming up, people. I feel so accomplished right now.

Please review!


	45. Chapter 45

_We've reached the end, people. Please review..._

* * *

EPILOGUE

Needless to say, things worked out just fine after that.

The herds from the continent settles into the island nicely, and Manny, Diego and Sid became good friends of Argeth, Kurues and the others as time progressed.

Peaches and Louis found good friends in Klue, Lee and Hogarth. They spent most of their days hanging out and enjoying eachother's company as the days passed by, though their relationship with Cocoum was slightly begin to distance itself.

After a year Cocoum still remained a pre-teen as Lee, Klue and Hogarth moved onto the later stage of adolescence. They weren't taught much older, but they were less interested in he things they used to play with Cocoum. He didn't mind.

Klue, Hogarth and Lee decided to live by themselves; That is, in a group much like Manny, Sid and Diego had. But the former survivors made sure to keep tabs on the misfits so they could keep the havoc to a minimum.

To the rest of the island newest population, Argeth, Kurues, Ellie and Manny were the ones to go to when a problem arouse. The odd animals had gotten them through worse in the past and had always contributed to their survival, such as when the valley flooded and when they needed a leader across the breaking continent.

Cocoum no longer lived with the herd. It seemed the youngster had preferred to live alone, or that's what the herd of former survivors believed before people mentioned seeing an ape traveling on the less inhabited part of the island with his young son in tow.

Since Gutt's body had never been found and Cocoum remained in good health (a surprisingly better behavior, though only to a certain extent...) the herd was able to suss out what Argeth had done.

The pirates band had merged their numbers with the former survivors, something Kurues had been reluctant (that is, at first he straight out refused to let it happen) but Argeth assured him that keeping these ruffians close was better for the safety of the rest of the animals on the island, something he said when everyone had gathered on the day they'd arrived.

The pirates hadn't been too please at first, but with the rest of the population giving them threatening glares (they were outnumbered greatly) they grudgingly complied. Except for Flynn, of course. He was very happy to have new friends.

Gupta and Maut got along fine with teasing Clementine and Squint, urging the rabbits to get on with it an marry each other all ready while Raz rolled her eyes in irritated amusement (and, you know, as Squint tried to maul the badger while telling him to mind his own business)

But it happened anyway, and Clementine and Squint were married happily. Though Squint did miss sea-life, he found he was happier as long as he had familiar faces around him...however annoying (Gupta...) they were. Though he kept Argeth's warning in mind whenever he and Clementine argued. Though the doe always ended up winning anyway.

Cocoum came to visit often. Especially after a few years had passed and he'd grown into an adolescence himself, and some newer members of the herd had arrived.

Argeth and the others found themselves dealing with three small rabbits, two of which were like that of Crash and Eddie only with brains. Argeth had muttered that that was a deadly combination of smarts and mischief.

Clementine had only bared two very small litters, which was odd for a rabbit. No one knew why, but she hadn't had more than two in each little. Some thought it was because she herself was, technically in blunt standers, a 'runt' and prone to illness and therefore wasn't able to bear the normal amount of children. Whatever reason, Argeth thought it was easier to only have three...though that was his thoughts.

He liked calling the first-born (that is, first born in the litter by a few seconds) Squirt because of his resemblance to Squint, though he had his mother's fair colouring and eyes. Squirt (who's real name was Fifer) was the jumpy ring-leader of he and his brothers little pranks, most of which were aimed at Diego and Shira.

Benny was a perfect mixture of his mother and father, much like Peaches was. He sported grey fur with brown eyes, and long flopping ears. His face resembled his mother more, and he was less prone to temper than his brother.

Argeth came to be a very stern and firm 'uncle' and usually was seen by other herds dragging them back to their mother and father after catching them firing small stones through straws at people, something they'd learned from a pair of stupid possums.

With all the commotion Squirt (Fifer) and Benny caused, one would almost forget their tiny little sister who hovered in the background twiddling her thumbs.

Born as a rare one in a litter a few years after her brothers, Eglantine was the image of her mother, the only feature differing her from the healer doe being her pale eyes and black eyelids inherited from Squint (surprisingly she was the only child who had his eyes)

She was a shy and quiet individual that usually followed her brothers around to keep them out of trouble, something they found incredibly annoying. Eglantine was also adored by most of the herds on the island, another thing that irritated her two brothers.

She was very small, smaller than Clementine had been, but her temper shone through now and again, something Squint would usually grin at.

As for Gutt, the pirates had a feeling that their former Captain still lived to this day, but the matter was never brought up. It seemed they'd all moved on and the times of plundering where over. Maybe someday in the future they're paths would cross again.

Gutt was preoccupied with keeping Cocoum in line and making sure his son had an alright start in life. By this time Cocoum had already addressed him as 'Dad'...adding in 'old man' now and again, of course.

It was one sunset on the island that Argeth felt a little reflective on their past events. Gazing over his odd herd he wondered what it may have been like if he hadn't jumped onto that makeshift, iceberg boat with the elk and healer rabbit years ago.

Hmm...he couldn't really image not doing it.

His reflective thoughts were interrupted by the clashing of wooden swords against each other, and the armadillo rolled his eyes upon spotted Benny and Squirt lancing into view.

"I'm winning!" The fair-furred Squirt announced, ducking sharply as his grey-pelted brother swiped at him, frowning.

"Are not, Fifer..."

He accident hit his brother on the head, igniting a fury from the other small rabbit. Soon they were tumbling along the ground in a frenzy, pulling at each other's ears and the like. Argeth sighed and sauntered over unnoticed by the two- that is, unnoticed until he grabbed each of them by the scruff and haul them apart, into the air.

They dropped their arms instantly and put on innocent grins up at their uncle. Innocent? he thought not...

"We weren't fighting'"

"Nope, uncle, nope!"

He rolled his eyes and turned, walking away back to were their mother and father were talking a bit away.

Eglantine spotted Argeth approaching (her wide-eyed brothers in tow) and hugged her father's legs to alert him.

Squint (needless to say...) gave a squinted, questioning look as his two sons were carried over by the armadillo.

He dropped them and shoved the gently before their mother, and they instantly cringed upon seeing her fierce, questioning frown. Her hands were on her hips and her foot was tapping. Even their father had leaned away a little at this point, lifting up Eglantine and slipping away as his wife began telling them off.

"Daddy!" She asked in a high, warbling tone (due to her younger age), one arm around his shoulder "Why do Fifer and Benny like annoying people?"

Squint rose a brow, looking up in consideration. "Huh. They just think it's fun, kiddo."

His small daughter blinked obliviously before smiling "Oh."

Squint laughed to himself. "Yeah...I used to do stuff like that... good times..."

Eglantine tilted her head "Does that mean it's okay."

Whoops! Squint carefully covered up his mistake "No. No it is not. C'mon, kiddo, I think it's time for bed."

"Aww..."

Argeth smiled to himself as he carried her off. Nice save...

He looked around his herd, or in other words, his odd family. They'd been through so much together and now here they were: living, no longer surviving.

It was a nice way of living, too...

* * *

"We're you off to now, Junior?"

Cocoum grinned from the branches above and swung down quickly, landing beside the older ape with ease. The younger ape had grown considerably since passing into his teen years and was more than half his size now.

"I'm going to see the guys over at the falls. For some reason those mammoth kids like to hang out there, and well..."

Gutt rolled his eyes "And here's mister social." He remarked, ironically enough it had once been that Cocoum preferred his own company...though he did still, usually at least. Cocoum frowned at him.

"Just because your mister anti-social..."

"Huh." Gutt grinned and feigned indifference as Cocoum began moving past, only to smirk a reach forward.

"Come here, you!"

Cocoum didn't have time to run before Gutt had caught him in a headlock and began giving him a noogie again. He fought to get away, laughing despite himself. Gutt chuckled and released him, rolling his eyes yet again.

"Go one, Junior. Have fun."

The young ape leaped into the trees and began swinging away, calling back idly over his shoulder. Gutt called after him. "And don't annoy people. Cause that annoys me."

Cocoum snorted as he grew further away.

"What-ever. See ya, Dad!"

Gutt turned and shook his head. Blasted Teenagers...He allowed his lips to curl a bit. He'd grow out of trouble making.

...Eventually...

_The end._

* * *

_And the end is here, people. I just want to say thank-you for reviewing and following this story throughout the whole journey. Thanks._

_We may see more of these bunch, but later. I'm taking a break from this for a while as I may be busy for the next few weeks._

_Please give one last review and tell me what you thought of it._


	46. IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE- PLEASE READ

**_Author's note- Please read._**

_I want you all to know that I was later unhappy with some of the scenes and that I felt more could be added into the story, so I wrote a story constructed of Deleted Scenes, One-Shots and added In-between-chapters for the story._

_Its called 'Learn to Plunder' and it can be found on my profile for those of you who haven't already found this_

_Also, A number of one-shot sequels fics can be found to 'Pirates and Survivors'_

_I would highly recommend reading 'Learn to Plunder' as it really helps with character development and deleted scenes._

_I'm glad you read this and appreciated all of your reviews._


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